No Regrets
by lovelovelove22
Summary: Edward Cullen and Bella Swan learn that, despite their broken engagment, some things are just meant to be.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, guys! This is the other story that has been sticking in my mind for over the past week or so. Like most of my other stories, updates might be sporadic or short or delayed, but the story will never be abandoned…I love all my stories and get attached to the plot and characters very, very quickly. **

**I used to have another story under the same title, but it is not the same as this one. I promise, it's a lot different. But please give the story a try, and just let me know what you think. Like all of my other stories, this one is an Edward/Bella and is all human, alternate universe. **

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Isabella Marie Swan:

Four years ago, I met Edward Cullen, and it had been the start of a seemingly fairytale romance. We worked together at Masen Law Firm in Washington D.C. (he was a lawyer, I was a secretary at the front desk), and everything had been amazing. All the fellow secretaries had been jealous of all the times Edward came by my desk after work to either take me home or take me out somewhere, and I had been thrilled at the attention I was getting from a young, extremely handsome, successful lawyer. Edward was…wonderful. For two years after we started dating, it had been perfect, and Edward had always been the perfect boyfriend. He took me out to nice restaurants and bought me things that I didn't need. I become close with his parents, Carlisle and Esme, and his sister Alice and I became best friends nearly right away. It wasn't hard for me to fall in love with Edward, because he was everything that I had ever wanted.

Two years ago, Edward Cullen proposed to me. There had been a little blue box with a pretty white bow and a beautiful diamond ring inside. Of course I had said yes; I loved him. Esme Cullen had thrown us a big party, and we had started planning the wedding right away. Alice and Esme had gone crazy over the preparations, even though we couldn't set the date. For some reason, nothing seemed right. And then I knew why no date had ever seemed good enough.

One year ago, Edward Cullen left me. Admittedly, I had seen it coming. Amidst all the craziness of our life together, I saw that he wasn't happy. In all reality, he hadn't been the one to leave me; we had left each other. I had come home from dinner with Alice, and when I walked into the townhouse, he had been sitting at the dining room table in the dark, surrounded by plans for our wedding. I had stepped into the room, and when his eyes met mine, I could see the difference. His four words had pierced my heart…"We need to talk." And so had talked for hours. Our conversation ended with me taking off my beautiful engagement ring and placing it in the outstretched palm of my equally beautiful ex fiancé. And that had been it. That night I had slept in the spare bedroom, and by the end of the week I had moved out of Edward's townhouse and arranged to stay with my friend Angela until I could find a place of my own. Everyone had been stunned, to say the least. Alice had refused to talk to me for over a week. Esme had been in tears, and my parents had tried to convince me to move back home to Seattle. It had been difficult, seeing Edward every day at work right after the end of our engagement. People around the office had started rumors, saying that Edward had been cheating on me, saying that his family had secretly hated me, and saying that our relationship had been doomed from the very start. It had gotten a little easier though, and eventually it has become less and less awkward for us to be around each other and hold casual conversations. And because of Alice, we have been around each other more than normal exes would be.

Two weeks ago, Edward Cullen got engaged to Rosalie Hale after a six month long relationship. Alice, with no regard to my feelings whatsoever, has told me all about Rosalie. She was, of course, beautiful. Blonde hair and blue eyes, she wasn't exactly your typical prosecutor. I had seen her around the office before, and she had just started at the firm eight months ago. We had never been formally introduced, but from what I could tell she was a nice girl. But that didn't exactly ease any of my pain, seeing as Edward had proposed to her and he was officially no longer my ex fiancé, because he was _her_ fiancé now.

Tonight was their engagement party, and thanks to Alice, I was going. She told me that it would help me move on; seeing the man I had been planning on marrying happy with another woman. So I put on a nice dress and a pair of heels, did my hair, and got into my car before driving to Carlisle and Esme's house in Mount Vernon, Virginia. Once I got there, I sat in my car for a moment and stared up at the big white house, and I started blinking back tears. My own engagement party had been held here in this house. Edward and I had stood in the parlor, wearing fancy clothes and greeting guests and showing off my engagement ring. But I was no longer the lucky girl at Edward's side.

Sucking in a deep breath, I checked my hair and makeup in my rearview mirror and then gathered up my purse and got out of the car. There were already people at the house, thankfully. There would be absolutely no focus on me at all. Esme opened the door when I rang, and immediately pulled me into her arms. "Oh, Bella, bless you for coming. I know this all must be hard for you." Esme exclaimed, and I stiffened up slightly, my smile faltering.

"I'm fine." I assured her, and Esme just smiled tightly and ushered me further into the house.

"Edward and Rosalie are over there, but-" before Esme could finish her sentence the doorbell rang out and she shot me an apologetic look before hurrying to answer the door again.

I reluctantly made my way over to the happy couple, holding back slightly. Edward spotted me as I approached, and when our eyes met, I immediately saw obvious happiness in his emerald green eyes. "Congratulations." I said as I came up to them. Edward nodded, giving me a quick hug and peck on the cheek.

"Hello, Bella. It's nice to see you." He said, and he sounded genuine and honest. "Rose, this is Bella Swan. Bella, this is Rosalie Hale, my fiancée." Edward introduced us formally and I shook hands with Rosalie.

Rosalie smiled at me, and I cringed slightly when I saw the ring that had once been mine perched on her ring finger. The ring had been Edward's grandmothers, so of course he had kept it. But it was still strange to see the ring that had been on my finger at one time now sit upon Rosalie's ring finger. "How do you two know each other?" Rosalie asked, and both Edward and I froze slightly. She must have known Edward had been engaged before, right?

Edward recovered quickly, clearing his throat. "Bella and I were engaged until last year." He said quietly, and a look of understanding came over Rosalie's face.

"Yes, well, it was very nice to meet you." I said, looking over my shoulder. "Congratulations again." I said nicely, and then hurried off. While that had been difficult for me, it had not been unbearable. I had spoken to Edward plenty of times since we had broken up. So what if he was getting married? At least Edward was happy. He was a wonderful person, wishing him happiness was easy for me. As I walked around the room, I was assaulted by familiar images. I couldn't believe that two years ago, this had been mine. Why hadn't I been enough? I had asked myself that very question thousands of times now, and I still didn't have the answer that I was looking for. The night had broken things off, Edward and I had talked a lot about our ideas of the future, and I remember being stunned that our dreams and aspirations hadn't matched up in the slightest. I wanted a life in the suburbs with kids and minivans, and Edward wanted a life of work and travel. For months we had simply been pretending to be happy together, when we really weren't. A lot of elements of our relationship had been fine, but the important parts had somehow been mangled beyond recognition or repair.

I was only twenty eight years old. And I knew that there was someone out there right for me. But my brain and my heart were confused- my heart was telling me that I had already found the love of my life and let him go, while my brain was telling me that Edward had never really been mine.

"Bella!" Alice approached me, flinging her arms around me and squeezing tightly. "I wasn't sure if you were going to show! Have you talked to Edward and Rosalie? Aren't they the cutest?"

For the third time, I stiffened up. This time, it wasn't in discomfort, it was in anger. "Stop it." I said through my teeth, crossing my arms over my chest. "You _know_ I only came here because you told me it would make things easier. But you know what? It's not getting any better for me. You're supposed to be my best friend, Alice. Why in the world would you think that this would make things easier? _This_," I gestured in the direction of Edward and Rosalie. "Is making my heart hurt so badly that I can barely breathe. And you know what? I'm _done_. Done with you, done with Edward, and done with your whole goddamn family!"

With that I wrenched myself away from her, my supposed best friend, and stomped away. I wasn't even thinking as I stormed down the back hallway, but I froze when I flung open the first door that I came across. It was Edward's old room. Wiping my eyes, I stepped into the room and closed the door behind me. I had been in this room twice before, when Edward and I had stayed here with his parents, but I had never really paid close attention to anything. Now, I walked towards the far wall and looked closely at a bulletin board covered in pictures. Some of them were from Edward and Alice's childhood, but a lot of them were from his high school and college years. There was also one of Edward and Rosalie, tacked in the corner. With a shaking hand, I reached over and picked it up, wanting to get a better look. But when I did, another picture came into view.

It was one of Edward and I, back before we had gotten engaged…it was our first Christmas together. It had snowed well over six inches the night before, and I remember going outside to look at the beautiful wonderful. The picture, which had been taken by Esme, was sweet and playful. I was standing in the snow, and Edward was hugging me from behind, his chin resting on my shoulder. Both of us had huge smiles plastered across our faces. I looked back and forth between the two pictures, tears streaming down my face. What was so different between Rosalie and I? Why hadn't I been enough?

And to Edward…_you left me. Why can't you leave her?_

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**Well…what are your thoughts? Please let me know, and I hope to update again either over the weekend or sometime in the next week or so.**

**Xoxo- Melodyella aka Mellie**


	2. Chapter 2

**So just to let you know, this is going to be an Edward/Bella story eventually. There are some obstacles to get through first, but in the end Edward and Bella will end up together…you'll just have to read and review to find out how! I finished this chapter earlier than expected, but there are other stories that I need to update so no telling when I will update this one again. Hopefully, it will be sometime during the week. I'm going on my maternity leave on May 10, but that is a whole month away! Things are going to be pretty hectic until then. **

**But thank you so much for reading and for reviewing, I really appreciate it! The banner for this story is up on my profile right now, along with all of my other banners for all my stories. **

**This chapter switches Point of View several times, because I really want to display some characters reactions. Sadly, we won't be getting any Edward POV until at least next chapter. Don't worry, you will get a little input from him through Rosalie's POV. You'll also get Bella and Esme POV.**

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Isabella Marie Swan:

Eventually, I managed to compose myself and I left Edward's old room, straightening my dress and hair as I did so. As I walked back into the great room, Alice reappeared at my side instantly.

"Bella, I'm so sorry." She said softly, grabbing my elbow to keep me from getting away from her. "Really, I am. I was just really excited about my brother getting married, and I wasn't thinking of you as Edward's ex fiancée, but just as my friend." Alice apologized profusely, but I remained silent. "Come on, Bella, please. I do know that it's difficult for you, okay? I just don't know how to make things less awkward. Usually in your situation, I could just hate your ex and we could get on with things. But in this case, the guy that broke your heart…he was my _brother_. I just don't know how to balance the two of you."

I remained silent for a moment more, and then pulled Alice into a hug. "I know. You were wrong…but I'm sorry too, for putting you in the middle." I said, and Alice hugged me back tightly. "Also, sorry I overacted a bit there. I'm just a little frazzled." I confessed.

"So…are we good?" Alice asked, and I nodded. "Great." Alice said, releasing me and smiling widely. "I'll stick to your side all night, I promise. You can avoid any potential awkwardness." And then she lowered her voice, squeezing my hand. "You're brave, Bella. Thank you for coming."

I nodded again, and then we dropped the subject for good. As promised, Alice stayed by my side for the rest of the night, and I managed to avoid both Edward and Rosalie. But I still saw them. I saw them talking quietly, saw them kissing, saw them just gazing into each other's eyes, saw them looking so in love. And I saw Rosalie looking at Edward the way that I used to look at him.

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Rosalie Lillian Hale:

"I don't think your ex liked me very much." I called from the bathroom as I towel dried my hair. I poked my head out of the doorframe and raised my eyebrows at Edward, daring him to prove me wrong.

Edward chuckled, pulling back the covers on our bed. "I'd imagine not." He said dryly, and then pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it in the hamper. "What time do you have to be into work tomorrow?" He questioned, toying with the alarm clock. I went back into the bathroom, hanging up my towel.

"Eight." I called, picking up my toothbrush and toothpaste. "Are we going in together?"

"Yeah, sure." Edward replied, and I finished up brushing my teeth before joining him in the bedroom. "That party lasted _way_ too long…it's past midnight, for God's sake." Edward sighed, rubbing his forehead and leaning against the headboard of our bed. "I love my mother to death, but sometimes she gets a little too dedicated to her wedding planning." Edward said, and I nodded my head absentmindedly as I pulled on a ribbed tank top and a pair of yellow panties.

"It was our engagement party, Edward. I think your mom was just excited." I said, flicking off the lamp and crawling into bed next to him. "But I do have a question…why in the world was your ex fiancé invited to your engagement party?" I asked curiously.

Edward sighed loudly, kissing my temple. "When Bella and I ended things, we agreed to remain friends. If not that, then at least _friendly_."

"Okay…why? Why didn't you just forget each other and move on with your lives?" I questioned, and Edward sat up in bed, flicking on the lamp again.

"Rosalie, I at least owe Bella friendship, after all the pain that she's been through. You should have heard the rumors that went around at the office after our breakup. They were terrible, and they were all against Bella. God, Rosalie, what I've put her through in the past year…" Edward trailed off, sighing heavily. "You have to understand that Bella is a good person. She didn't deserve what she got. We broke off our engagement mutually, it wasn't really her fault, it wasn't really my fault. It just didn't work out, and neither of us were happy towards the end, not in the slightest."

I was quiet, processing what Edward had just told me. It scared me that Edward had broken an engagement before, especially because he had been with Bella for so much longer than he had been with me. Our relationship had moved very quickly, but _I_ didn't feel like things were moving too fast. I couldn't wait to be married to Edward. We had such similar ideas of the future, too. Both of us were very career-oriented, neither of us wanted any children, and we both had the same career path. We knew what we wanted, and we wanted it together.

"Okay." I finally said, and Edward exhaled loudly. "I'm tired. Goodnight, I love you."

"Love you too." Edward said softly, kissing me softly on the lips before turning off the lamp for the last time and rolling over onto his side.

Although I was tired, I couldn't fall asleep right away. I stayed awake long after Edward drifted off, wondering how Bella Swan had been able to cope with losing someone like Edward.

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Esme Anne Platt-Cullen:

It had been another late, busy night.

I walked through the house sleepily, extinguishing candles left over from the party. It had been wonderful, and I loved seeing my usually brooding son happy, but there had also been a downside to the party. When Edward had brought Bella Swan to meet the family four years ago, I was immediately taken with the girl. She was almost five years younger than Edward, but she acted just as mature as he did, sometimes more so. Bella had put a spark in Edward's eye, a spring in his step, a smile on his face. I had been thrilled to see my son finally settling down with such a wonderful woman. I still have no idea why they really ended their engagement.

Both of them insisted that it was mutual, and that they hadn't been happy. But how could that spark between them just…die out? I couldn't figure that out.

And then, six months after their break up, I found out from Alice that Edward was dating someone new. I was a little surprised that he was moving on so fast, but figured he could use a little happiness. Carlisle and I had met Rosalie Hale soon after, and she was very different from Bella. She is, of course, a very nice girl. I knew that she was smart and successful, but I couldn't help that wish Edward was still with Bella. Eventually, I grew to like Rosalie very much, but it was still a little strange.

But two weeks ago, I got a call from my son telling me that he and Rosalie had gotten engaged, and I had been _stunned_. It had barely been a year since he and Bella had ended things, how could Edward move on so quickly? I didn't know, but he definitely had. I still liked Rosalie, because she was a nice girl, but I was still extremely surprised.

I was even more surprised when Bella showed up to their engagement party. Alice had convinced me to invite her, and I had despite my better judgment. Alice was close to Bella still, so I trusted her when she said inviting Bella would help her move on. I hadn't expected to her come, but she had, looking just as beautiful as I remembered her. I would never admit this to anyone, not even my own husband, but I secretly wished that Edward and Bella had never broken up and that they had gotten married and ended up with a happily ever after.

The pained, awkward look in Bella's eyes told me otherwise, and it soon became obvious to me that she was still in very much in love with my son.

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**Well, what are your thoughts on this one? Please let me know and review! I'm going to try and do Edward POV next time, as well as Alice POV and maybe more Bella POV. We'll see how it goes when I start typing it up. Like I said, not sure when the next chapter will be up. Just put the story on alert so that you don't miss it!**

**Xoxo- Melodyella aka Mellie**


	3. Chapter 3

**Again, I was able to update early. But I have other stories to work on to, I just need to get this one up and going! Here we go, getting on with the Edward POV. You know, some of you are being a little harsh on Edward! But I must say, some of you are being very understanding of him. Maybe this chapter will clue you in on more of what is happening. Like I said previously, this will be E/B, I promise the E/R won't last forever. I have a slight outline worked out, but still don't know the number of chapters this story will have.**

**And yes, the banner for this story is up on my profile along with all of my other banners. Check it out and tell me what you think =)**

**Oh, and to answer a question some of you had- Edward kept Bella's ring because it had been **_**his**_** grandmothers, so it was a family heirloom. A few of you were disgusted that Rosalie got the same ring but, hey, that's how it works. **

**Okay, this is the last of my A/N rant, I promise. This chapter continues to juggle through POV's, but I promise it's just to get everybody's introductions in. Edward and Bella, while they are the **_**main**_** characters, the minor characters have a story line as well. You get an introduction to Carlisle in this chapter too!**

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Edward Anthony Cullen:

**(Hey, um, look at the A/N down at the bottom…it's worth it!)**

I have made a lot of wrong decisions in my life, without any doubt. But the biggest of these was when I let Bella Swan go.

The night that we broke things off had easily been one of the worst nights of my life. Even though I had been the one to say 'we need to talk', I had been hoping that things could have been reconciled. However, as our conversation went on and on, it was painfully apparent that neither of us were very happy at all. How had we not seen this coming? For three years, Bella and I had been blissfully in love. But that was before we took our future into account.

Bella had been furious when I remained adamant on my feelings about having children. She wanted to be a mother, but I could never picture myself as a father, and that was kind of a deal breaker for Bella. And just because I had moved on quickly didn't mean I had just fallen out of love with Bella…it meant that a rebound with Rosalie had just turned into more. Because in all honestly, that's what Rosalie was supposed to be- a rebound. That sounds terrible even to me, but it was the truth. After Bella and I ended out relationship, it was easier to be with someone else than it was to be alone.

I did love Rosalie, but sometimes I felt like I had to try too hard to make our relationship work, especially after we had gotten engaged. With Bella, everything had been effortless until the very end. And in all the things going on in my life right now, there is one thing that I really did not understand.

How could I love a woman like Rosalie when I loved a woman like Bella, too? They were so completely different, in appearance, behavior, emotions, and personality. Bella was short with brown hair and brown eyes, and she was quiet but confident and intelligent. While she often kept to herself, she was very compassionate and loving and sweet. Her beauty was understated and sophisticated, and that was the way that she dressed as well. Rosalie, however, was almost the exact opposite. She was tall with blonde hair and blue eyes, and she was also intelligent, but she didn't think things out and she often made rash decisions. Rosalie was extremely outgoing, and had a less…kindhearted demeanor. Her beauty was strong and apparent, and she made bolder choices.

I would be the first to admit that I still did have some feelings for Bella. I felt guilty for that, because Rosalie truly was a wonderful woman, and I loved her. When we had gotten engaged, I had been very serious about it. Our relationship was still new, but Rosalie was amazing; the woman of my dreams.

I had to ignore the lingering feelings I felt for Bella. Ending things between us had not been one-sided, it had been a mutual agreement. We felt the same way, and agreed that breaking up was the best choice. Now, even though I had Rosalie, I wish that we had at least tried to fix things. But obviously, it's too late now. There are four things in life that you can never take back: a stone after it is thrown, a word after it is said, time after it has past, and in this case, an engagement that has been broken.

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Mary Alice Cullen:

My older brother is an idiot for losing Bella Swan.

When he brought Bella to meet me, over four years ago, I had been ecstatic. Edward's previous girlfriends had been boring and dull, and Bella actually had a personality. She and my brother had been the world's cutest couple, and everybody had seen it. Everyone in the family adored Bella, from my parents and grandparents to my aunts, uncles, and cousins. We had become friends very quickly, and we balanced each other out very nicely. I knew that sometimes I was rude and blunt, but Bella usually mellowed me out. And a lot of times Bella was shy and quiet, but after time with me, and Edward, she came out of her shell.

Despite Edward and Bella's age difference, they had a very similar personality. Both of them were serious and mature, but also had a wonderful playful side that came out every once and awhile. I also loved seeing my brother happy, and Edward had always been happy around Bella.

There break up had devastated me. I had been so excited that my best friend would be marrying my brother and would truly be my sister, but I was even more upset that they let each other go without even trying to work things out. After several months of unhappiness, the two of them had simply given up on each other. I knew that they were over, but I had still been surprised when, six months later, I had gone to eat lunch with Edward in his office and had found him kissing a buxom blonde woman.

I liked Rosalie, I truly did. She was perfectly nice and seemed to make Edward happy, just like Bella had. I also noticed that Rosalie was nearly the exact opposite of Bella.

Rosalie and I had become friends as well, but I found that I missed hanging out with Edward and Bella together. We had always had so much fun, and now that was all over. It wasn't the same with Rosalie, no matter how hard I tried. I felt bad, putting Edward and Bella in the middle. I would be thrilled if they would just get back together already, but I knew that there was a very slim chance, seeing as they had both hurt each other. Somehow, Edward has managed to move on much faster than Bella, who I know is still broken up about that whole thing.

Bella and Edward broke up because they weren't happy. But doesn't being happy mean that you've decided to see beyond the imperfections of life?

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Carlisle Cullen:

"Do you like Rosalie?"

My wife's question startled me, and I looked up from the newspaper with furrowed eyebrows. "Excuse me?" I asked, clearing my throat. Esme rolled her eyes, because I had obviously heard her question. It was the morning after our son and Rosalie's engagement party, and I knew that Esme had something on her mind.

"Sure." I said, shrugging my shoulders and looking back down at my newspaper. "She's a nice girl." Esme hummed slightly under her breath, and I looked up at her again. "What?" I asked, and Esme exhaled loudly, chewing on her thumbnail as she looked down at the tabletop instead of at me.

"Do you like Rosalie as much as you liked Bella?" She asked, and I nearly spit out the mouthful of coffee I had just sipped.

Had my wife really just asked me to compare our son's current fiancée to his ex fiancée? Sadly, I did have answer to her question. Of course I had liked Bella more…she just seemed to be the missing puzzle piece in Edward's life. I don't know what went wrong, but it shocked us all when Edward and Bella broke up last year. Clearing my throat again, I answered Esme's question. "Well…they are very different, and they both have good and bad qualities-" Esme raised her eyebrows at me, and I sighed, holding my hands up in defeat. "Fine. No, I don't like Rosalie as much as I liked Bella. I thought Bella was a better match for Edward." I relinquished, and Esme nodded her head.

"Exactly what I think." She murmured, taking a sip of her coffee and gazing out the window behind me. "But it's not our place to say, is it?" She sighed, rubbing her temples. "I don't want him to make any more mistakes." Esme whispered, looking me straight in the eye. "It would hurt him too much, to go through that again."

I was quiet for a moment, and then spoke. "I don't want him to relieve the past." I revealed, and Esme shook her head, looking down at her coffee cup again.

"Honey, that's why our eyes are on the front." She said playfully, smiling now. "Because it is more important to look ahead than it is to look back."

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**Thoughts? Please review and let me know. And as a little reward…THE FIRST PERSON TO REVIEW ON 4/12/10 (CENTRAL TIME) WILL GET THE FIRST CHAPTER A DAY IN ADVANCE. **

**Xoxo- Melodyella aka Mellie**


	4. Chapter 4

**So…you guys are seriously great. Almost a hundred reviews for three chapters! I really appreciate it and I'm glad you are into the story. There is some serious meddling done in this chapter by Esme, just to give you a little warning. Now…to respond to a few of your reviews and answer some questions a few of you had.**

**Bella is twenty eight and Edward is thirty three.**

**When they were dating Edward and Bella had a very **_**physical**_** relationship. Although they were together for three years, they weren't entirely serious until around the time of their engagement.**

**And lastly, yes, Edward's family members much prefer Bella to Rosalie. We'll see how that comes into play soon enough!**

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Rosalie Lillian Hale:

"Where do you want to go for dinner?" I mused, looking down at my iPhone. Edward shrugged his shoulders, not taking his eyes off of the road as we drove. "Edward." I said, and he barely looked over at me. "What do you want for dinner?" I asked again, and _again_ he just shrugged his shoulders. It had been like this the whole goddamn car ride! Was he pissed at me for some reason? "What is your problem this morning?" I asked angrily, and Edward pinched the bride of his nose between his thumb and index finger.

I hated it when he did that.

"I'm just in a bad mood." Edward snapped.

"Well, duh." I muttered under my breath, crossing my arms across my chest and staring out the window. The downtown Washington D.C. traffic moved slowly, and the silence in the car was almost unbearable. A few more minutes passed, and I looked back towards Edward. "Do you want to have lunch together?" I asked, and Edward shook his head.

"Esme already got to me." He muttered, glancing at the time and furrowing his brow. "We're going to be late to work."

I nodded slightly, turning back to look out the window again. I didn't know what in the world was going on with Edward. For a while now, he's been distant and uninterested. At first, I had thought that maybe he was just under stress, but he's been acting like this ever since we got engaged. Nervously, I twisted the ring on my finger, wondering if Edward regretted his decision to propose. While his proposal had seriously surprised me, I had been thrilled. Edward was the kind of man that nearly every girl wanted to marry- he was sweet, extremely good looking, smart, successful, kind, and confident. But now as the initial excitement wore off…I was doubtful.

We had been dating for barely six months. He had called off an engagement only a year ago, and to a girl he had dated for three years. Edward and I loved each other. But would it be enough for us to make it through hard times?

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"Hey, Rosalie." I glanced up from my desk and saw Jessica, another lawyer at the firm, standing the doorway to my office.

"Hey, Jess." I said, pushing my papers to the side. "What's up?"

Jessica smiled at me and walked into my office, closing the door behind her. I knew the look in her eyes, too. She had some gossip to share. "You know Bella Swan? Edward's ex fiancée?" She asked, and I nodded, sticking out my tongue. Jessica giggled, clapping her hands together. Despite being in her mid thirties, Jessica often acted like a seven year old when it came to gossip. "Well, I was just in reception, and Esme Cullen was down there, too…" Jessica paused, leaning in closer to me. "Are you aware that _your_ fiancé is having lunch with his mother and _ex _fiancée?" Jessica asked, and I gasped audibly.

"What?!" I snapped, and Jessica shrugged her shoulders.

"I walked past and I heard Bella say that she didn't want to bother Edward, but Esme insisted, so they're all having lunch together today."

I pursed my lips, thinking about my future mother in law. Esme Cullen was nice to me. That was all. Although she had thrown Edward and I our engagement party, she never really acted interested in me or my relationship with Edward. I had gone out with Alice and Esme before, and while Alice had chattered endlessly, Esme had always been a little quiet and standoffish. And now I knew why. She _obviously_ preferred Bella to me.

My anger flared up quickly, and I practically dropkicked Jessica out of my office. Was Esme planning on talking to Edward and Bella, trying to get them to see the error of their ways? Did she want them to get back together? Anger coursed through my veins, and I picked up my phone, dialing the number to Edward's office. It went straight to voicemail, and did the same when I tried his cell phone. I slammed the phone back down, cursing to myself. I swear to god, if Esme tries taking Edward and Bella on a trip down memory lane…I don't even know how I'm going to contain myself.

"Memory is a way of holding on to the things you love, the things you are, and the things you never want to lose." –Kevin Arnold.

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Isabella Marie Swan:

Esme Cullen was persistent, she always had been. But why had I let her talk me into this? He was my ex fiancé, for the love of god! Why had I agreed to eat lunch with him and his mother? I knew the answer to that, though. Even though I hadn't ended up marrying her son, Esme was still like a mother to me, and I would always want to please her. I should really get over that. Rosalie is going to be her daughter in law now, not me.

But I did what she asked anyway, I couldn't say no to her. So I was practically condemning myself to hell as I followed her down the hallway towards Edward's office. He probably didn't know that I would be joining them for lunch. Would he be mad? Would he even care?

When we were dating, we used to each lunch together every single day. It had been our personal mission to try and eat at every restaurant in a five block radius, and after three years together, we had succeeded. And that was something that we had both been extremely proud of.

Esme knocked lightly before pushing the door to Edward's office open, and I bit my lip nervously. When Edward saw his mother, he held up his index finger as he spoke on the phone, gesturing for her to wait. He caught sight of me, and his eyes widened slightly, but he had no other reaction. Esme and I waited patiently for Edward to get off of his call, and when he finally did, he stood up and gave his mother and I each a hug. Granted, the hug he gave me was quick and slightly awkward, but at this he was trying to honor the promise we had made to remain friendly.

"Bella is going to join us for lunch." Esme said, touching my shoulder as the three of us exited Edward's office.

Edward looked over his shoulder at me, nodding. "Um, okay. That's fine."

We walked to a café down the block, and Edward and I kept exchanging glances as Esme walked several steps in front of us. Every once and awhile she would glance over her shoulder at us. By the time we got to the café, I was weirded out and could tell that Edward was too. He kept shooting his mother confused looks. Eventually, as we waited for a table, Edward pulled out his cell phone and started texting someone. And as we moved towards our table once we were finally called, he tugged on his mother's sleeve.

"Rosalie is _pissed_. And I refuse to take all of the blame." He muttered quietly in Esme's ear, and I flushed scarlet. Great. Now I had mad Rosalie mad, even when it wasn't my intention to do so. Edward pulled out my chair for me and Esme's, and then we all sat down; Edward and I staring down intently at our place settings.

"Bella, how are you doing?" Esme asked me, and my head shot up.

I cleared my throat, slightly flustered. "Um, I'm fine." I said softly, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. "I'm going to night school now, since I never finished college." I saw Esme's eyebrows rise, so I continued. "I want to be a teacher." I explained. "Preferably for kids in elementary school…I think that's just the cutest age." I said with a smile, and I saw Edward's face tighten slightly. "But I've still got three and a half years left." I added softly, looking down at the table again.

"That's great." I was surprised when Edward spoke up, but he didn't say anything else about the matter.

"Yes, Bella, it is." Esme said, taking a sip of her drink, which the waiter had just brought. "Why didn't you go to school sooner though?" She asked, and I snuck a peek at Edward through my eyelashes.

I hesitated, biting my bottom lip. "Well, um, when Edward and I got engaged…" I cleared my throat, my cheeks bright red. "I decided that I wouldn't go to school. But now I have the opportunity." I murmured, and both Edward and Esme were silent for a long moment. "I really like it." I tacked that on to the end, because I didn't know what else I could really say.

Eventually the water approached and took our orders, and Esme didn't speak again until after that. "You're a wonderful young woman, Bella. Any man would be lucky to have you." Edward and I both glanced up at each other briefly, and then hurriedly looked away.

_Live with no limits, love with no regrets._

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**Haha…**_**oh**_** the awkwardness. It's a little painful, but they need to face the music eventually. I was able to update tonight instead of tomorrow, so yay. Please review!**

**Xoxo- Melodyella aka Mellie**


	5. Chapter 5

**I warned you that Esme would be meddling something serious! Thanks for all of your reviews, they are great! If you have any questions, be sure to ask. I will answer some of them directly in future A/N's, and if not then the question will be answered sometime later in the story.**

**I have some story recommendations for you! 'Alphabet Weekends' by the-glory-days, 'Ride the Wind' by iadorepugs, 'Master of the Universe' by Snowqueens Icedragon, 'Sovereign Fate' by A Cullen Wannabe, 'Finding Home' by Jennde, 'This Hungry World' by lolashoes, and 'Expectations and Other Moving Pieces' by chrometurtle. **

**My husband and I saw 'Remember Me' tonight. I knew how it ended and it still cried…but it was so good and Rob looked pretty damn cute! If you haven't seen it yet, either go and see it our wait for it to come out on DVD in a little while. But really, I liked it and thought it was good. That's all I've got to say, other than enjoy the chapter!**

**This chapter switches around as well…a lot goes on. The tenseness between Edward and Rosalie kind of erupts, but that's a step forward towards Edward and Bella! Right now, I think that this chapter will be like thirty chapters.**

**------**

Esme Anne Platt-Cullen:

I'm not going to lie. I was pleased with myself. My one mission this afternoon was to just get Edward and Bella to lunch together. And I had succeeded in that, obviously. Rosalie wasn't very happy with me, but I've put up with plenty of angry women in my profession as a wedding planner. She doesn't scare me in the slightest, and I think that I know what is best for my son.

And in all honestly, Bella _is_ what is best for Edward. They might have ended things a year ago, but that didn't mean that they still didn't have a chance. I did feel a little bad for doing this while Edward was engaged to Rosalie, but I also felt completely justified.

Bella and Edward had been awkward over lunch to say the least, but that was to be expected. They needed to be comfortable with each other again, and that was exactly what I was trying to accomplish. Back when they were dating, they had spent nearly every waking moment together; they had practically been attached at the hip. Even if I didn't understand my son and his ex, I could see that despite their break up, they belonged together. I saw it, even my oblivious husband saw it. So why couldn't the two of them just figure it out already?

They would figure it out soon enough, if I had anything to say about it.

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Rosalie Lillian Hale:

I was beyond mad. I was pissed, I was hurt, I was scorned, and I was confused.

"What the fuck was she _thinking_?!" I spat, pounding my fist on the tabletop "She's your ex fiancée! Why would your mother do that to me? Does she hate me?" I asked angrily, and Edward just looked at me, not saying anything. "Oh, come on, Edward." I sneered, swatting my hair out of my eyes. "Just tell me. Does your mother have some kind of problem with me that would make her do this?"

Edward was still quiet, and I sighed angrily. Why was he even staying quiet like this? Usually, he would just get right in my face, especially when I knew what had gone on this afternoon. Esme Cullen had taken Edward and Bella out to lunch. And I was pissed about it. "Just forget about Bella." Edward finally spoke, and I threw my hands up in the air in frustrated. "Oh fucking hell, Rosalie, just drop it!" Edward yelled, and I jumped slightly at his sudden change in mood. "I don't want to talk about Bella Swan, especially with you!"

"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked indignantly, and Edward rolled his eyes at me. "Come on, just say it. What are you trying to say here?"

"It means that my ex fiancée is none of your business. If I want to spend time with her, I will. You certainly can't stop me." Edward snapped. "And if Esme hates you, it's definitely not _my_ fault." Edward added, and my mouth dropped open in shock. "Maybe if you were a little nicer sometimes, people wouldn't hate you."

That was the last straw. I stood up, putting my hands on my hips and rounding on him. "Who hates me? Your parents? Your sister? Your ex fiancée? Well, screw them. This is supposed to be _our_ life, Edward. We're supposed to get married, remember?" I was so angry that I was practically shaking. But Edward seemed unfazed and nonchalant. "You still want to marry me, don't you?" I asked in a small, timid voice that didn't even sound like mine, and Edward glanced up at me.

His green eyes were dark and tired looking. "Yeah." He said in a small voice that did nothing to calm me down. "I'm going out." Edward said, standing up from the table as well. He wouldn't make eye contact with me; he was staring down at his feet with his hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans. "Don't wait up." Edward added, walking towards the door. I watched helplessly, practically frozen on the spot, as he slipped on his jacket and grabbed his keys.

And then without another word to me, he was out the door.

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Mary Alice Cullen:

I knew it was him when I heard our special knock on my apartment door. We had made it up one rainy day back when I was five and Edward was eight. It was two soft knocks, two loud knocks, and then one jiggle of the doorknob.

I also knew that Edward only used that knock when he was mad or upset. For instance, the last time Edward used that knock, he had told me that he and Bella had broken their engagement. So I leapt to my feet without hesitation, jumping over the foot stool in my living room and skirting around the coffee table. I got to the door and quickly undid the chain, and then flung it open. "What's wrong?" I blurted out, and then I took in the sight of my older brother.

He was mad, that much was obviously. His hands were shoved in the pockets of his jeans, and his green eyes were sharp and his expression was on edge. "What's wrong, Edward?" I asked again, and he pushed past me into the apartment.

Wordlessly, I closed the door again and turned around. Edward was sitting on the sofa, his hand in his hands. "I still love Bella."

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**I'm sorry this chapter is shorter but I'm going to watch tonight's episode of 'Glee' and then get some sleep. Please review and let me know what you thought of the chapter!**

**Xoxo- Melodyella aka Mellie**


	6. Chapter 6

**Eep! That was a little delay, but I hit another roadblock. So…what are you thinking about the story so far? You've been great with reviewing, so keep it up with that. I love to read your feedback. These next chapters are going to get a little complicated, I'm just warning you. No hate, please, until things are revealed. And no, Bella is not going to just jump back into Edward's arms with an open, forgiving heart. He's going to have to work for it. You know, after he decides who he wants. **

**As always, if you have questions, don't hesitate to ask and I will either answer directly in a PM or will post the answer in my next chapter. **

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Mary Alice Cullen:

"I still love Bella." Edward muttered, and I started at him in shock.

"Oh." I said softly, finally moving to sit down next to him on the couch. I gingerly reached over and put my arms around his shoulders, not sure of what to say to Edward. I knew that he still loved Bella, that much was obvious, but now that he finally realized it…it was different. They had a chance now, if he was going to leave Rosalie. "What are you going to do?" I asked.

Edward shrugged his shoulders, still not looking at me. "Oh, I don't know." He sighed. "Rosalie…Bella…_fuck_." He spat, and then looked up at me. His eyes were red and bloodshot, and his hair was even more mussed than usual. "Look, I'm sorry for barging in like this…but to sort things out, I think I need to be away from Rosalie for a little while. "Can I sleep on your couch?"

Isabella Marie Cullen:

"Bella, do you think you could come in here?" I looked up from my desk as I heard my boss, Matthew, call out to me.

"Yes?" I stood up, a little unsteady in my heels, and walked into Matthew's office. Matthew McCarty was one of the partners at the law firm, and when his personal assistant was gone on vacation like she was this month, I would take her place. I had known Matthew for years, but he was still my boss and he was still very intimidating. Although he was in his late forties, he had piercing grey eyes, curly brown hair, and good looks that made him look much younger.

Matthew glanced up at me when I walked into his office. "Hello, Bella. Take a seat." He said, nodding to the chair in front of his desk. I sat down and crossed my ankles, folding my hands on my lap. Matthew, although kind, was also very unpredictable. I could never tell if his news would be good or bad. "Are you free this evening after work?" Matthew asked me bluntly, and I looked at him in surprise. Matthew glanced up at me from his papers, smiling. "My son is in town, and I can't make dinner. And Emmet refuses to dine alone. Would you mind very much having dinner with him? My treat, of course."

I hesitated for a moment, unsure. Was this some kind of set up? Although it seemed Edward had no problems moving on, I wasn't ready to start dating again. I hadn't gone a date since our breakup last year, and my libido was suffering because of it. When I had been with Edward, _all _of my needs had been taken care of, and then some. I'm not ready to be with someone else, but I was also missing the benefits of having a man in my life. But that still didn't mean I wanted to be involved with someone.

Sensing my hesitation, Matthew smiled easily. "It's not a set up, I promise, Bella." He assured me. "Just dinner with your boss's son."

"That will be fine." I finally relented. Why would I turn down a free dinner? Although I had never met Emmet McCarty, if he was his father's son then I'm sure he's nice. Plus, I get some brownie points on top of that. "Where should I meet him?" I asked, and Matthew shook his head.

"The reservation is early, so I'll just have him pick you up here at the office. Is that good?"

"Yes, that's perfect. Is what I'm wearing alright?" I asked, looking down at my black, quarter length sleeved dress that I had worn to work.

Matthew looked at me briefly before nodding and returning to the papers on his desk. "You look fine. So, Emmet will pick you up at five. Thanks, Bella. I appreciate it." Matthew said, and then excused me from his office. I returned to my desk and just as I sat down, Edward walked into the room. He hesitated slightly when he saw me, but then walked right up to my desk. "Bella, could you please give this to Matthew for me?" He asked politely, holding out a manila envelope.

"Yeah, sure." I said, taking the envelope. Edward hesitated for a moment, so I continued. "Did they demote you or something? Why are you running envelopes?" I teased, and Edward's eyes widened slightly. I then noticed how tired he looked, with bags under his eyes and a slightly groggy expression.

After a moment, he cracked a smile and shook his head. "Nah, I thought I'd get out of the office for a little while." He explained. "I'm on my way to lunch." He hesitated again, fiddling with the keys in his hands. "Would you like to join me?" Edward suddenly asked, and I looked up at him with shock. We remained silent for a moment, and then Edward spoke again. "It's just lunch, Bella. Really." He said softly, and I nodded.

"Sure." I said, clearing my throat. "Just a second." I quickly closed all of the open programs on my computer and then logged off before letting Matthew know that I was taking my lunch. Then I picked up my purse and followed Edward out of the office towards the elevator. "If you don't mind me asking…" Edward glanced over at me as I spoke, a knowing smirk on his face. "Don't you think this would bother Rosalie?" I asked curiously.

Edward sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. I loved it when he did that. "Rosalie and I are hitting a bit of a rough patch." He admitted softly, and I bit my lower lip.

"And you really think having lunch with your ex fiancée two days in a row?" I asked, and Edward rubbed his face with his hands. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that so sound so…snippy." I apologized, touching his shoulder gently. "I just know that…um, I wouldn't be too happy if I were in her shoes."

"Yeah, well, Rosalie is rarely happy about anything." Edward said darkly as we walked across the building lobby. I spotted Edward's dark grey car parked at the door, and I was silent until we slipped into the car.

Then I decided it was time for me to bring up a tough question that I had been holding back for days now. "Edward, if you're so unhappy, why did you even propose to her?" I asked, and Edward gaped at me. "Oh, come on. When you proposed to me, we were at least _happy_. At little oblivious, sure, but happy. But you and Rosalie…you don't seem happy at all." I pointed out as Edward pulled out onto the street.

He was quiet, and I thought I had offended him until he spoke again. "I don't know, Bella. I really don't. I thought I was happy until now. It's confusing and stressful and just _difficult_. Can I be honest with you?" Edward glanced at me questioningly, and I nodded. "Rosalie was supposed to be a rebound, nothing more." He said softly, and I stared at him, slack jawed.

"Oh, Edward…" I whispered, touching his shoulder gently. "Why did you do this then?" I asked, suddenly angry. "It had been _six _months. Why…? We could have gotten back together!" I exclaimed angrily, and Edward abruptly pulled into a parking garage, screeching into the first available spot.

"_What_?!" He asked, his eyes wide. "You…you were the one who wanted to break up and not even _try_ anymore. I wanted to go to counseling! I wanted to keep trying and get married after we sorted things out together. Bella, you were the one to move out of the apartment and to suggest we break up. And now you're telling me that we could have gotten back together?" Edward slammed his hands down on the steering wheel.

I bit my lip, staring at him as he stared at me. "This is stupid. Please, take me back to the office and we can just…forget about this."

Edward nodded, but didn't move. And then, he leaned over and kissed me gently. I remained motionless for a moment, and then just melted into him, tangling my fingers into his soft hair as his hands cupped my face. Our lips moved together in sync, pulling and pushing at each other deliciously. And then he pulled away abruptly.

"I'm so sorry." He said, wiping at his mouth. "I don't know…I'll take you back to the office now."

"Edward, it's-" I started to tell him that it was alright, but he cut me off.

"Please, Bella, no." He said, his voice low.

_What __**was**__ that?_

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**Oh. Snap. So…what do you all think about that one? Let me know. Next chapter will be…Bella's dinner with Emmet. And this Emmet is a major playboy, I'm warning you. So, of course, he's going to try and get into her pants. Well…please review this chapter and tell me allll about what you thought. Come on, let me see your reactions!**

**Xoxo- Melodyella aka Mellie**


	7. Chapter 7

**You guys are awesome, thanks so much for reading and reviewing. I decided to update this story again before I watch 'Glee' tonight, and if I have time I'm also going to try and update 'Eye of the Beholder'. We'll have to see how that works out. **

**So…after a lot of deliberation I decided that this chapter would contain a little sexy-time between Emmet and Bella. I know that some of you don't want to see that, but it's going to happen to help develop the storyline a little bit. It's not a full on lemon, seeing as they don't actually have sex. But there will be, um, sexual **_**activities**_** going on. Bella gets wasted, too (which leads to said sexual activities. I'm going to put a little ** before and after the scene in question, so you can skip over it if you want.**

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Edward Anthony Cullen:

After I pulled back up to the office building, Bella and I sat in silence for a long moment. Neither of us spoke until Bella gathered the courage to. "Let's not talk about this." She said softly, leaning forward and hiding her face with her long brown hair. "Goodbye, Edward. I'll see you around." Bella murmured, and then got out of the car. I watched as she straightened her skirt, squared her shoulders, and walked back into the building. Then I swallowed heavily, took a deep breath, and pulled away from the curb to park my car in the garage.

By the time I got back to my office, my head was pounding and I could hardly think straight. I shouldn't have kissed Bella, but I honestly didn't regret it in the slightest. I know that it was wrong, but it was also amazing. Bella was always so soft and warm and sweet, and she always had been. I wasn't proud of what I had done. I was committed to Rosalie…at least I thought I was. I needed to slow down and think about what was happening here. After what Bella said this afternoon…I was both relieved and angry. I wished she had told me this sooner. If Bella had said something just two weeks ago, I wouldn't be engaged to Rosalie and maybe Bella and I could have made something of our fucked up relationship.

But now I was moving on, and Bella deserved to move on as well. I wanted her to be happy, even if that meant we couldn't be together ever again. I sat down at my desk, rubbing my forehead with the palm of my hand. This was too confusing, I can't keep thinking about it.

I made a commitment to Rosalie. But I had once made that same commitment to Bella, and look how that turned out.

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Isabella Marie Swan:

_Stop thinking about it_. I scolded myself mentally, trying to focus on my work. But I couldn't stop think about it. I just kept replaying it in my mind, over and over again…the feeling of Edward's lips against mine…it was just as wonderful as I remembered. Soft and sweet but also longing and passionate. I had kissed other men before Edward, but I had never been kissed like that.

Ugh! I need to stop thinking about it and get on with my life. After what we talked about this afternoon, it's obvious to me that I'm going to need to get over the whole thing and just move on. Edward was. He was going to marry Rosalie, and maybe they could work out the problems they had been experiencing. For a few minutes this afternoon, I hadn't thought of Edward as my ex fiancé. It was like he was my best friend again.

But we were over and done with. Our _relationship _was over and done with.

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Emmet was picking me up, and I had no idea why I was so nervous. Matthew had assured me that this wasn't a date or a set up. But…I kind of wanted it to be. It would be nice to go out with someone else, get attention from someone else. Dating Edward had always been so wonderful, because he had taken such good care of me and had treated me so well. Probably better than I deserved, given the way I acted in the end. Emmet McCarty…he was something new. Something exciting.

And when he finally arrived to pick me up, I knew that he would be an amazing date. He was cute, to say the least. He had dark curly hair like his father's, dimples, and shining hazel eyes. Emmet was also built like a bodybuilder, but the way he smiled at me was sweet and heartwarming.

"Hi, Bella, I'm Emmet." He immediately pulled me into a hug upon introductions, squeezing me so tightly I thought I might burst.

"I'm Bella." I laughed, and Emmet squeezed me one last time before setting me back down on my feet. As I reached over to pick up my purse, I hesitated for a moment. Edward and Rosalie were standing by the elevators, and while Rosalie was talking to Edward, he was staring right at me, a small frown on his face.

Smiling awkwardly, I waved, and Edward nodded and waved back before putting his arm around Rosalie's waist and walking out of the building with her while she continued to talk. I watched them go, and then quickly turned my attention back to Emmet, who was smiling at me expectantly.

"Are you ready for dinner?" Emmet asked, and I nodded quickly. "Great. I'm _starved_." He said cheerfully, and then checked the time on his cell phone. "Come on, let's get going. We can walk to the restaurant; it's only three blocks away and it's in also in the hotel I'm staying at. Oh, and sorry my dad had you do this…I'm sure you would rather be with your boyfriend than having dinner with me." Emmet said, winking at me.

I laughed, shaking my head as Emmet held the door open for me. "Wow, Emmet, you're subtle." I said, rolling my eyes. "But I'd rather be with you, considering I don't have a boyfriend to be with in the first place." I assured him as we set off down the block. Emmet nodded and tapped his head, like he was storing this away for information. "I haven't dated in over a year." I added softly, even though it was probably unnecessary.

Emmet cocked his head to the side, looking down at me. "Really? And why is that?" He asked, and I shrugged my shoulders.

"I was engaged." I said simply. "And I'm not anymore." I held up my left hand, showing Emmet my ring free finger. "I haven't really had the urge to date since then."

"Oh. I'm sorry." Emmet said, and I nodded shortly. "You still don't want to be with anyone else?" He asked suddenly, looking at me. There was a suggestive gleam in his eye, and I blushed bright red. I wasn't going to lie; I was attracted to Emmet. I had just met him, but he was really cute and his personality was funny and sweet. IN fact, Emmet's personality was a lot different than Edward's, which was maybe what I need right now.

I looked up at Emmet, biting my lip. "Well…maybe." I said, and then looked back down at my feet. Emmet chuckled next to me, and then gripped my arm and looped it in his. I giggled and looked at him in surprise, but Emmet was staring straight ahead with a smile on his face, so I didn't say anything else. Emmet hadn't asked me if I wanted to date or if I wanted a relationship. He had asked if I wanted to be with anyone. And honestly…I did.

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After a very entertaining dinner, Emmet and I were thrilled to find that the restaurant had a bar. So I was three drinks in and having a _great _time. Well…I was mostly venting about Edward to Emmet.

"And then _six months_ later, he's banging this blonde bitch that looks like a supermodel. I mean, it was six fucking months later!" I took another shot quickly, grimacing as I did so. "And now he's engaged and everyone's saying they're such a cute fucking couple and they're so fucking perfect…god it makes me sick!" I spat, and Emmet threw his head back, laughing hysterically.

"You need a nice rebound." Emmet informed me, scooting a little closer and putting his arms around my shoulder.

I smiled, partly because of all the alcohol coursing through my system and partly because there was a handsome man who actually wanted me. Edward had gone from me to Rosalie…and that had hurt a little. She looked like a goddamn beauty queen, for fuck's sake. "Yeah, maybe I do." I said cheekily, and then stood on my tip toes to kiss Emmet roughly on the lips. And he kissed me back.

This kissing was so much _different _than kissing Edward. It was rough and feverish and sloppy. And for now, it was great. It worked. I need it. I set my glass down and tangled my fingers in Emmet's curly hair, trying to pull him down to me so we could continue kissing. But it seemed that Emmet had different plans. He kissed me one last time, pushing his tongue into my mouth before pulling away, and grabbed me by the hand. I knew he had a room. I remember him saying that he was staying at this hotel. So I wasn't surprised or taken aback as Emmet led me to the elevator. We were alone, so Emmet pulled me to him again and kissed me hard on the lips, crushing against me so hard that it was almost painful.

I was in a haze as Emmet pulled me out of the elevator and towards his hotel room. He already had his room key out, so we didn't have to waste any time fumbling with that. I groaned eagerly as Emmet pulled me into the room and then slammed the door behind us. "Is this okay?" He asked, panting heavily in between kisses.

"Yeah. It's good." I panted back, yanking on his hair. "Just…I don't want to go too far." I said, and Emmet nodded, picking me up and kissing me even harder as he carried me across the room. He set me on the bed and I raised my arms over my head with hesitation as he started tugging on my dress.

**

I shivered once the cool air hit my bare skin, and Emmet grinned appreciatively at me, waggling his eyebrows. I blushed, glad that I had worn a pretty purple bra and panty set today. Emmet reached down and gently slid off my high heels, letting them clatter to the floor. I groaned as his warm hands worked up my legs, and I reached up to unbutton his shirt readily.

In no time at all, we were both naked expect for our underwear. Emmet reached for the elastic of my panties, but I caught his hand in mine. "Too far." I whispered softly, and he nodded again in understanding, realizing what I wanted to do.

I scooted down slightly and Emmet hovered over me, leaning down to kiss me again. I eagerly lifted one of my legs over his hip, and groaned into his mouth as one of his hands slid down my hip to settle on my ass. Emmet crushed his pelvis to mine, both of us moaning roughly. I tugged on his hair again and moaned throatily, and Emmet took the hint and settled between my legs. As my breathing quickened, I lifted my hips, desperately seeking any kind of friction. Thankfully, I found it.

Emmet's weight is on me, but not too heavily. I like the contact and closeness as we continued to greedily push our pelvic bones against each other. The sensations are hitting me so quickly that I can't even keep my eyes from rolling into the back of my head. I'm withering under him, feeling so much pleasure and pressure and wonderful sensations I can't even fully describe. His eyes meet mine again and our hips shifted together with entirely deliberate thrusts, and I can feel myself quickly falling off of the edge.

After several more strong thrusts, I groaned and felt my eyes roll back into my head again as wonderful, unbelievable pleasure spread all throughout my body, burning deliciously. Emmet groaned next, capturing my lips with his one more time before we both exhaled heavily and collapsed into the mattress.

**

He placed a soft kiss on my neck, and I remain silent. I needed that. The release, the pleasure, the sensation. But I feel a little guilty, too, because Emmet wasn't really the one I wanted this with.

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**Ah…so what did you think about that one? Please review!**

**Xoxo- Melodyella aka Mellie **


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry about that thing between Emmet and Bella, but it was for the sake of the plotline. I do have outlines, people. I write all of my outlines on light purple sticky notes with pink ink pens, and then stick them on my bathroom mirror…so I currently have almost 30 purple sticky notes stuck to my mirror in the bathroom. Because let's be honest, I do my best thinking when I'm in the shower, brushing my teeth, and laying in bed at night. It's a proven fact.**

**Even though I do have a rough outline, I do not have a real estimate for the number of chapters in this story. I can't even make a guess at this point so…we'll have to wait to figure that one out as well. And why must I continue to remind all of you?**

**I WRITE E/B stories with fluffy, sweet, sickeningly happy endings. Always have, probably always will. But I add twists in along the way…because I want to keep you on your toes.**

**The cardinals game is on…who knows how long I will be making this chapter. Hopefully of average length, although you did have a long chapter last time…ugh we'll see. Anyway, I'm done with my rant so you guys can just get on with the chapter, I suppose. Oh, and I have a question…do people actually read author's notes? I always try to…but do any of you? Because I waste real time and energy with these goddamn things! No. I'm just kidding.**

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Edward Anthony Cullen:

"What do you think you want for dinner? I would cook but I'm totally exhausted, so I think that we should either pick something up on our way home, or stop and eat somewhere." Rosalie had been talking since we had been in the elevator, but I wasn't even listening anymore. As we stood in the lobby and Rosalie continued to talk, I saw Bella leaning against the wall across the room, looking around a little nervously. What was she doing, waiting for someone? My question was soon answered as I saw none other than Emmet McCarty walked up to her and almost immediately pull her into a hug.

I frowned slightly, wondering if she and Emmet had a date. Emmet was a few years younger than me, and his father was one of the partner's at the firm. I'm guessing that Matthew McCarty arranged this, seeing that Bella was filling in for his personal assistant this month. Bella must have seen me openly staring, because she waved awkwardly, and I straightened up and waved back before turning my attention back to Rosalie.

So she was going to move on. That was good, right? Bella deserved to move on. And if she didn't want me, then she should have whoever she wants. She can be happy because I'm _supposed _to be happy with Rosalie, even though I'm pretty sure Rosalie and I are both miserable at the moment. But of course, Rosalie puts on the happy face. She wants everyone to see her stunning beauty and her good body and her flashy engagement ring, not for who she really is. The thing I love about Rosalie is that she doesn't take crap from anybody. That's what makes her such a good prosecutor…no one wants to get in her way. But that's definitely not what makes her a good girlfriend…oh, um, fiancée. Rosalie is my fiancée, not my girlfriend. Why did I have to keep reminding myself of that?

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Rosalie stood in the doorway of our bedroom, a big smile on her face. I looked up from my casework, raising my eyebrows. "What, Rose?" I murmured, pushing my thick rimmed glasses higher up my nose. I had to wear glasses when I worked at night now, just another unwelcome sign that although I'm not exactly applying for social security yet, I am getting older.

I do know what Rosalie wants- I recognize that look in her eye. She walked towards me, pulling her shirt over her head as she walked.

Yep, she wanted sex. Although I usually wouldn't have turned her down…this was different. "What are you doing?" Rosalie asked throatily, sliding onto the bed and twining her thin arms around my neck.

"Working." I said dryly, not looking up again even as she kissed my neck and jaw. "Maybe you should try it. Don't you have stuff to be done for tomorrow?" I knew I was being rude, but just damn it to hell. I was in a shitty mood because I've made the wrong choice yet again, and I needed to take it out on someone.

Rosalie pulled away from me and huffed loudly, putting her hands on her slender hips. "What the fuck is your problem?" She snapped. "In case you didn't notice, I was trying to have sex with you." She was getting angry now, her cheeks turning pink and her eyes narrowing. "What's going on, Edward? Tell me. I think I deserve to know what's making you so pissy lately." I didn't answer, and Rosalie huffed again, louder this time. "Is it because Bella fucking Swan is moving on?" She asked, and although I didn't visibly react, my pulse quickened at the mention of Bella moving on. "Because newsflash, Edward, you've moved on too. In case you've forgotten, you asked me to _marry you_ two weeks ago. And now you're all lovesick over her again? What is your problem?"

Still, I remained silent, because I had no idea of what to say. Honestly, she was right. She was completely and totally right, in fact. I didn't like the fact that Bella had moved on, even though I had been the one to have moved on first. That made me a bad person, and I knew that. But it also didn't change anything.

"Rosalie…please just drop it." I muttered, gathering up my papers and tossing them on the nightstand. "I'm sorry, but I'm tired and I'm going to bed. And for the last time, stop talking about Bella Swan. She is the last thing I want to talk about with you, okay?" I took off my glasses and set them on the night table, and Rosalie was still staring me down when I looked back towards her.

"You're an ass. I'm sleeping in the spare room." Rosalie hissed, whacking me in the arm with her pillow before stomping out the room. Yeah, she was really fuckign mature.

But she was still right about more things than one.

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Isabella Marie Swan:

When I woke up the next morning, I felt horrible. I had a pounding headache, I was sore, and I could remember _everything _about last night. In vivid detail.

"Look who finally woke up." I jerked my head up to see Emmet standing the doorway, wearing a button up shirt and an untied tie around his neck. "There's aspirin on the counter in the bathroom." He said, taking a bite out of a apple that he was holding. "And there's some stuff for breakfast in the kitchen, if you're hungry."

I nodded dumbly, pulling the sheets against my naked body as a blush heated my cheeks. "Uh…I don't usually do this." I said, and Emmet laughed softly.

"Yeah, I can tell. Look, Bella, it's no big deal. I know you needed that, so just get on with your life. You're a great girl, okay? Edward Cullen is a fucking dumbass for letting you go." Emmet said, taking another big bite of his apple. At his words, my shoulders dropped and I just started _crying. _Emmet stared at me in alarm, narrowing his eyes. "Fuck, what's wrong?" He asked, and I shook my head, wiping my eyes.

"It wasn't his fault. It was me." I whispered, because I couldn't deny the fact any longer.

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**Yikes. I'm going to be now…I meant to be in bed like three hours ago and then I just got preoccupied…goddamn American Idol. Soooo…review. Let me know your thoughts. **

**Xoxo- Melodyella aka Mellie**


	9. Chapter 9

**Oh my. I don't like doing this…I really don't. But guys, some of you are just oblivious and rude. My chapters are **_**always**_** around 1,000 words, no matter how many stories I am working on. Don't believe me? Go back and look at my other twenty nine stories posted on my page and you'll know I'm not lying. I know what I'm doing. If I want to work on several stories at a time, I'm going to. It's **_**my **_**business, and the way that I do my updates. You get chapters of shorter length, but you get chapters more often. I really don't mean to be so rude, but come on. Just lay off a bit. I'm guessing that this person who complained is reading this, so hi. Thanks for leaving an anonymous review so I can't tell you all this privately. **

**And now we move on with the chapter.**

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Isabella Marie Swan:

"It wasn't his fault. It was me." I whispered, and Emmet stared at me, confused.

"What do you mean?" He asked cautiously, sitting on a chair next to the bed and propping his elbows up on his lap and resting his chin in his hands. "I thought-"

I shook my head, picking at the loose threads of the comforter. "I was so scared." I murmured, trying to figure out how to explain this huge, complicated situation. "We were getting married and our views on life and on the future were so different…I wasn't even surprised when we started to drift apart. And then when Edward told me we needed to talk one night, I just made up my mind right then and there. I wanted to give up, so I did. After we talked that night, Edward wanted to try and go to counseling so that we could works things out. But I said that it was over, and we just needed to face it. Edward eventually agreed to a cordial breakup, and it was all over right then."

Emmet stared at me, frowning. "But I thought you loved him." He said, sounding completely dumbfounded.

"Oh, I do." I whispered. "Like I said, I was scared of how we would make it work, so I didn't even try in fear of humiliating defeat. Edward was ready to get married, but I don't really think he was ready to get married to _me._" I said, still wondering if I could get this story out right. "Maybe Rosalie is better for him, even if he doesn't think so."

"You guys are pathetic." Emmet said, laughing. "Bella, I think you're still into this guy, and I bet he's still into you. Just get your head out of your ass and face the music. Solve the problem." He urged, and I started to laugh at Emmet's blunt tactics. "I'm being serious here." He said sternly, pointing his index finger at me. "Have you even talked to him about it?"

I heisted before answering, because I was so painfully aware that I was wearing nothing but my bra and underwear underneath of my blanket. But then I continued anyway. "Yesterday. He kissed me after telling me that he wasn't happy with Rosalie…and then he got all awkward and took me back to work." I blurted out.

Emmet shook his head, taking a final bit of his apple before tossing it in the trash. "Talk to him." He said simply, and then checked his watch and stood up. "It was nice getting to know you, Bella. I know things went a little far last night…but no hard feelings, right?"

"Nope, none. We were both drunk, and it was…fun." I said, blushing. "I really needed that. It was nice getting to know you, too. I'll see you around." Emmet nodded, kissed the top of my head, and then walked out of the hotel room.

I stayed in the bed for a moment longer, rubbing my temples. Last night had been good. I hadn't felt so good in a long time, and I'd had a lot of fun. It had been spontaneous and different, but now I needed to get back to the real issue at hand. The issue between Edward and I was getting more and more complicated. Emmet thought I was 'into Edward', but I knew that really, I was in love with him still. But with the addition of Rosalie into his life, things had become a lot harder. We couldn't just talk things out and then get back together…he had made a commitment to another woman.

Too many thoughts were flooding my head. Edward had told me he wasn't happy, and neither was Rosalie. I saw them together, and although they usually looked pretty content, I guess Edward would know better than I did, seeing as he was the one in the relationship.

After laying there for several more minutes I dragged myself out of the bed and put on my dress and heels from last night. Thank god it was Saturday, because otherwise I would have to do the walk of shame through the office and I would not have enjoyed that. Especially in front of Edward and Rosalie. After scribbling Emmet a simple note and leaving it on the nightstand, I grabbed my purse and headed on my way.

The downtown area was packed, and I had to clamor through thick groups of tourists to get onto the metro. Unlike most of the people at my work, I didn't have the money to pay for parking every single day, and gas was expensive enough already. By the time I finally got home, I felt dirty and exhausted.

I jumped into the shower and after I was done I noticed that I had gotten a text from Alice late last night.

_Dinner tomorrow night? My parents will be there, and so will Edward and Rosalie. You don't have to come if you don't feel comfortable; I just thought I would ask. -Alice_

Staring down at my phone for a moment, I thought it over. I loved Esme and Carlisle and Alice, nothing would change that. But Edward and Rosalie…that was a different story. Maybe I should go, and see how they interact for with my own two eyes. If they seem happy, I'm accepting that he's moved on for good, and that what happened the other day was nothing more than an accident. But otherwise, I think I need to have a good long talk with Edward Cullen.

Mary Alice Cullen:

I stared down at my phone nervously, wondering why Bella still hadn't texted me back. I had sent her a text last night, and she had yet to respond. I thought maybe she was mad, at first. This dinner invitation did mean that she'd have to be around Edward and Rosalie, but it had also just been an offer. I hadn't seen enough of my best friend lately, and I knew that even my parents were missing her. And if seeing Bella made Rosalie mad, that was just something that she would have to deal with. Despite my previous mistakes, Bella was still my best friend.

Sighing dejectedly, I decided to go and pick out an outfit for tonight. I left my phone on the table in the foyer, hoping that maybe when I came back downstairs Bella would have texted me back. After selecting my ensemble for the evening, I hurried back downstairs and was relieved to see that Bella had finally texted me back.

_I'll be there. But I need to talk to you beforehand. –Bella _

I frowned, shooting off a quick reply.

_Dinner is at seven, I'll be at your house by six and then we can go together. Sound good? –Alice_

Bella responded after a few seconds.

_Yeah, see you then. –Bella_

And that was all. I wondered what Bella had to talk to me about, especially since she had been so cryptic via text. Bella usually put things right out in the open, especially when she was talking to me. But maybe this was something more serious. Maybe, just maybe, she was gaining a little perspective.

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**Sorry for a little delay there, but my husband has been sick and when you combine an eight month pregnant woman and her sick husband, things get a little ugly. But he's fine now- it was just a touch of the flu, thankfully. Please review and let me know what you thought!**

**Xoxo- Melodyella aka Mellie **


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi. So, I would like to apologize for being pretty bitchtastic in my last A/N. Although I do wish people would bring up problems privately so I can explain things, it is also your choice to do so and I should respect that. So if you don't like the story, thank you for at least looking it up. I know a lot of people are busy this time of year. **

**Hopefully, Baby Bee won't have a completely horrific sleeping schedule, and if that's so then updates during the summer will be longer. Thanks for sticking with me!**

**Anyway, I know the Edward and Bella are both being pretty impossible right now. Trust me, that is the way I've planned it to be. Everything will go according to plan, and we will get our happy ever after eventually. And a few people asked- I do know Emmet is spelled with two t's on the end, Microsoft word always just autocorrects it for some reason. If it's that big of a deal I can go back and change it, but I'm not going to do that until the story is done. **

**Okay, one last thing. If you don't like this story, that's cool. It's your choice. But if you don't like it…don't read it!**

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Isabella Marie Swan:

As I waited for Alice, I was nervously pacing around my bedroom. I was dressed already, wearing a plain black dress and heels. But my wardrobe wasn't what I was worried about…it was this whole evening. I must be some kind of masochist to be agreeing to this dinner. If it were just Esme and Carlisle and Alice, I would have no problem with going. But when you added Edward and Rosalie to the equation, I was practically digging myself a grave. I don't want to break up a couple; I don't want to be that kind of woman. But if Edward truly isn't happy, I'm not going to let him go into this without knowing how I truly feel.

Nothing has really changed between us. I still want the same things, and as far as I know, so does Edward. I don't know if I should even try again, or if I should just let him be.

I knew that Alice's opinion wasn't exactly impartial, but it was at least something. I was a complete mess, I didn't know what I was going to do, and I was still in love with my ex fiancé. Thankfully, the doorbell rang before I could beat myself up about it, and I hurried to get the door. Alice was standing on my porch, wearing a green dress and smiling brightly. She breezed right past me into the house, dropping her purse on the table by the door as she passed.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Alice asked, and I turned around to see her walking down the hallway towards my bedroom.

"Um, where are you going?" I asked, shutting the front door and hurrying after Alice. Sure enough, she had gone into my bedroom and was already digging through my closet. "Alice, no. Come on, I'm already dressed and ready to go, I just wanted to talk to you about something." Alice didn't answer, she just continued to flip through my clothes busily.

I huffed loudly and crossed my arms over my chest, waiting for her to finish. I knew better than to come between Alice Cullen and a closet. Finally, she answered me. "Are you aware that lately, all you've worn is black?" She asked, and I started to tell her she was crazy…until I realized that she was right. For the past week or so, my wardrobe has consisted of mainly black. It wasn't a choice I had been making consciously; I hadn't even realized until now.

"I guess not." I mumbled, and Alice triumphantly pulled a hanger out of my closet, holding it up for me to see. It was a blue dress that I hadn't worn in ages, but it used to be one of my favorites. And if I remembered correctly, it had been one of Edward's favorites as well. I blushed, shaking my head. "Alice, I can't wear that dress." I said, starting to protest.

"Please, Bella. Blue looks so good on you." Alice pleaded. "Just put this on and then we can talk. I won't try and reorganize your wardrobe or anything." She said, and I rolled my eyes before yanking the dress away from her. I unzipped my black dress, letting it pool at my feet in a puddle of black fabric. I pulled the blue dress on, and then turned to Alice, putting my hands on my hips. "There, are you satisfied?" I asked snippily, and Alice nodded, sticking her nose up in the air. "Good. Sit down, we need to talk." I said.

Alice did as I said, sitting down on my bed patiently. "Alright. Let's talk." She said simply, and I sat down next to her. Now that the moment was here, I had no idea how to get this out. How was I supposed to tell Alice that I still loved her brother, and that I wanted to be with him again?"

I was silent for several minutes, and Alice just waited for me to gain the courage to speak. Finally, after a little while, I looked Alice in the eye. "I think I'm still in love with Edward, Alice, and I'm so confused." I confessed, and Alice raised her eyebrows at me. "I know that nothing between us has really changed. But seeing him with Rosalie…it's just reminding me of how much I loved him." I whispered. "Tell me the truth, Alice. Do you think Edward and Rosalie are happy?" I asked, and Alice pursed her lips.

"I think they could be." She said calmly, looking down at her hands. "But I also think that Edward won't let go of you, and that Rosalie sees that. And because of that…she's pushing him further away by picking fights and bringing up sore subjects." She explained slowly, still not looking me straight in the eye. "If you are still in love with Edward, I suggest that you make up your mind and do what _you_ think is right. This is your decision, Bella. Not mine. I've meddled so much in the past, and I've learned that I'm not good at it. Honestly, I cause more problems than I solve. I'm not going to tell you to go to Edward. I'm telling you…that I'll support and decision you make." Alice finished with a deep breath, and then met my eyes and smiled sweetly. "You're my best friend, Bella. I would love to see you and my brother work things out. But again, it's up to you. And Edward, I suppose."

Nodding, I was quiet again. I was just as confused as I was before, maybe even more so. But at least I knew what I was going to do. Edward at least deserved to know how I felt. If he doesn't want to leave Rosalie, then fine. That's his decision. But I can't hold this feeling back any longer. My relationship with Edward was wonderful before we both stopped trying. Maybe if we hadn't, we would have been married by now. Maybe we could have gone to a counselor and worked things out. But maybe we wouldn't have.

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Esme Anne Platt-Cullen:

I twisted my napkin in my hands nervously, my eyes glued to the door. Every time it opened, I jumped in both nervousness and anticipation. "Calm down." Carlisle said calmly, pouring me a glass of wine and resting his hand comfortingly on my shoulder. "You're on pins and needles."

"Yes, well, I'm nervous." I replied, taking a small sip of my wine. "I love Bella, Carlisle. I love the girl like she's my own daughter. But I don't want to see her hurting…and I'm sure Rosalie will take one look at her and inflict as much hurt as possible." I tittered, and Carlisle sighed again. "If Edward and Bella really want to move on, then they should." I added simply.

Carlisle nodded, taking a drink of his own wine. "I know. But they're both too stubborn to face the music. You know that, Esme. Just let the whole thing drop." He advised. "I think Bella can fend for herself." He added, and I had to agree with that. In the time that I had known Bella Swan, she had always stood up for herself. Sometimes it wasn't obvious, though, especially in situations like these.

I glanced towards the door again, and I tugged on Carlisle's arm anxiously. Edward and Rosalie had entered the restaurant, both of their faces pinched.

"Be nice." Carlisle said softly, and I rolled my eyes. I was _always _nice. And sometimes that was one of my major quality flaws. Edward and Rosalie made their way over to the table, and Carlisle and I both stood up as they approached. "Rosalie, Edward, it's nice to see you." Carlisle said cheerfully, hugging Edward and Rosalie. I did the same, kissing my son's cheek as we embraced. I frowned slightly when I saw the uneasiness in his eyes. I didn't like seeing my son like this.

Rosalie looked around as we all sat down again, and unfolded her napkin on her lap. "Are Bella and Alice here yet?" She asked stiffly, and Edward stared down at is lap as Carlisle told her that they hadn't arrived yet. "Good." She muttered under her breath, and I shot Carlisle and exasperated look. He shook his head, and no one spoke.

At first, Rosalie had been a nice girl. But ever since she and Edward got engaged, I was surprised to see her obvious change in demeanor and behavior. I didn't know what was going on, but I had a feeling that it had something to do with Isabella Swan.

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**So what did you all think? Review and let me know!**

**Xoxo- Melodyella aka Mellie**


	11. Chapter 11

**I don't know if I'll be able to update at all this weekend- I'm spending most of Friday with my mom and sisters, and then on Saturday it's my baby shower! If I do get a chance to update, it probably won't be for this story, but it is a possibility. We'll see in a few days, I guess.**

**Now, this chapter…it was hell to write. I know I can't please everyone- that would be utterly impossible. If you don't like the way this chapter goes, I'm sorry, but that's the way it goes. It's a catfight. Not an insanely bad one, but a catfight all the same. Like Esme said in the last chapter, Bella will stand up for herself if she really needs to. And most of you figured out who Rosalie would end up with…. **

Isabella Marie Swan:

I fidgeted nervously with my purse as Alice and I walked into the restaurant. I couldn't believe I was doing this to myself…practically throwing myself into the lion's den. Alice spotted her family and Rosalie immediately, and steered me in the right direction over to their table. "Don't be so nervous. You look like you're about to upchuck." Alice hissed under her breath, just as we approached the table, where everyone but Rosalie had stood up. Edward yanked on Rosalie's shoulder, and she gave him a dirty look before standing up as well.

"It's nice to see you." Esme said, and she and Carlisle both hugged me warmly before turning to their daughter. I hesitated for a moment, but then gave Edward a short, awkward hug.

"Hello, Bella." He said, dropping his arms back down to his sides and looking down at the ground.

Rosalie was staring at me, and I shook her hand quickly without saying anything. Thankfully, Alice saved me for anymore awkwardness by hugging her brother and then giving Rosalie a hug as well. Ever since the engagement party, I've noticed that Alice hasn't been as friendly towards Rosalie, and she's been much more attentive towards me. It was a nice change, honestly.

The six of us all sat down at the table, and I was seated right between Esme and Alice, but Edward was sitting directly across from me. And Rosalie was still staring at me. Esme and Carlisle and Alice attempted kept the conversation flowing, but I was too nervous to get into the conversation. Edward was talking, but Rosalie would barely say anything. I was _this _close to just leaving and letting them have a normal, family dinner. The only reason this dinner was awkward was because I had shown up with Alice.

"Bella, how have your college classes been going?" Esme asked, and my head shot up. I had been focusing on the pattern of the tablecloth, not listening to what the others had been saying.

"What? Oh, school has been fine." I said easily, taking a sip of my wine. "It's a little hard getting things done when I'm working from nine to five during the week, but it's not too bad…I manage just fine." I said. "I've been having a lot of late nights lately, but that's been the worst of it."

Esme and Carlisle nodded, Alice started talking again, Rosalie stared down at her napkin, and Edward was tracing his long index finger around the rim of his wine glass, and up and down the stem of the glass. I watched him, spacing out the entire time Alice talked. I wanted this is to be over…why had I even come? This was a sick, twisted form of torture that I had inflicted on myself. And why? What was even the point?

"Can you stop fucking staring at him?!"

My head shot up again at the sound of Rosalie's voice, and I stared at her with wide eyes. "What?" I sputtered, and Alice gently put her hand on my arm.

Rosalie glared at me, and I thought that her eyes were going to cut straight into the skin with the intensity of her stare. "You heard me. Stop. Looking. At. Him." She hissed, jutting her chin out towards Edward. He stared at her, his mouth opened slightly in surprise. He reached out for her arm, but Rosalie yanked away from him. "You broke up, okay? You _fucking broke up_ a year ago. Stop looking at him, stop talking to him, and stop fucking hanging around him!" She spat, the volume of her voice escalating.

"You-" Edward started to speak, but Esme cut him off.

"Who Edward spends his time with is his business, and the same goes for Bella." Esme said coolly, her eyes narrowed. "And I don't appreciate you speaking to a family friend like that." She added, and Rosalie's face tightened slightly, and I saw her purse her lips.

I sat rigidly in my seat, waiting to see what she would do next. I didn't have to wait long. "She's not a family friend!" Rosalie shouted, bringing her fists down on the table loudly. Several people seated around us looked over their shoulders at us, their eyes wide as they whispered to each other. "She's your son's ex-fiancée, that's all!" 

"She's my best friend." Alice said sharply, and before Rosalie could say anything else Edward stood up and pulled Rosalie up as well, gripping her firmly by the arm.

"Stop it." He said in a low, calm voice. "Don't take this out on the members of my family." Rosalie glared at him, but didn't say anything. "We'll be outside for a moment." Edward said stiffly, and then he looked towards me. "Bella…" He started to say something, and then he stopped and turned around to walk out of the restaurant with Rosalie on his heels.

We sat in silence for a moment, and then I gathered the courage to stand up. "I have to say something." I mumbled, and although Alice grabbed for my hand to hold me back, I walked away before she could stop me. It was crowded outside of the restaurant, so I made my way through the crowd, looking for Edward and Rosalie. Luckily, it didn't talk me long to find them.

They were standing in the alleyway, and their body language was tense. I slowly approached them, wondering if I should just shut up and go back inside. But before I could decide, Rosalie spotted me and sneered. "Well, isn't that convenient? There she is."

Edward turned around to face me as well, his features contorted with anger. "Bella, go back inside." He said, but Rosalie stepped towards me, grabbed a handful of my hair, and yanked _hard_ before I could even blink. And that did it. I was sick of her snide looks and rude comments and I was sick of the fact that she had Edward when I was still so in love with him. So I smacked her across her pretty little face and watched with satisfaction as she released my hair and brought her hand to my check.

"You fucking whore!" She hissed, and smacked me. I moved back and as she advanced towards me with her fist clenched, I honestly thought that she was going to punch me. But she whaled on Edward instead, punching him square in the jaw. Rosalie must not have been packing much of a punch, because Edward barely reacted; just rubbed his jaw for a moment.

"Bella, go back inside." He repeated, and Rosalie looked from him to me, her chest rising and falling rapidly. "Tell Carlisle and Esme and Alice that we're leaving, please."

And with that, they were both gone, leaving me standing in the alley with the cool night air stinging my sore cheek.

**I hope you enjoyed! Please, my dears, find it in your hearts to review. **

**Xoxo- Melodyella aka Mellie**


	12. Chapter 12

**I decided to give you an update! My baby shower went **_**great**_**- you wouldn't believe the amount of boxes stacked up in our apartment right now. It's a little scary. But, of course, my friends and family are absolutely amazing as they always are. I'm due in twenty four days now…exciting, no? **

**I also decided that you would need a little EPOV of the fight between Rosalie and Bella. I didn't want to make it huge, so I only had them through in a few slaps, and Edward was the only one that got punched. One more thing you need to know about this story is that I like the traditional couples. You know, Alice/Jasper, Carlisle/Esme, Rosalie/Emmet, and of course, the lovely Edward/Bella. And I'm pretty sure that every single one of my stories will end up with those couples together. Just throwing that out there as an itsy bitsy spoiler for you all =)**

**Oh, and, um…you guys are totally and amazingly awesome. We have over three hundred reviews for this story now, making this my eleventh most reviewed story out of all thirty. And with twelve chapters, too? That's so great. Thanks to all of you, as always for your pure freaking awesomeness. You guys are just sooo amazing and I love you all! As a tiny little mini reward, I made this chapter longer than its original version, which was just over 1,000 words. I have a feeling you E/B lovers are going to like this one.**

……

Edward Anthony Cullen:

"Do you mind telling me what the fuck you were even thinking, Rosalie?" I asked angrily, and Rosalie took a step closer to me, her hands on her hips and menace in her blue eyes.

"Dear god, Edward, don't even get me started. I have had to sit back and watch the two of you lust after each other ever since we got engaged a fucking month ago. And you know what? It's suddenly crystal clear that you don't even _want_ to be engaged to me anymore, ever since that girl came back into the picture. So why don't _you_ tell me what the fuck _you_ were thinking?!" Rosalie snapped, her voice rising an octave. "You made a commitment to me, Edward Cullen. Here I was, thinking you were so head over heels in love with me, proposing to me after six months…but you're really still hot for your ex. Do you know what that feels like?" She asked.

I shook my head, pinching the bridge of my nose between my thumb and index finger. "I know that I have not been fair to you. But Rosalie, this sounds terrible, but-"

Rosalie face suddenly contorted in disgust, and I trailed off. "Well, isn't that convenient? There she is." Rosalie said snidely, and I turned around to see Bella approaching us, looking cautious. The last thing I wanted to do was get Bella involved in the middle of this. Well, technically she was already in the middle of our fight, but right now she just needed to get herself out of here.

"Bella, go back inside." I said sharply, but Rosalie reacted before Bella did. In a split second, Rosalie stepped forward and yanked on Bella's long brown hair; a childish rebellion. I thought Bella would step back and leave, but of course, she wasn't going to let it drop that easily. Without another second of hesitation, Bella slapped Rosalie across the face, a triumphant look on her face as Rosalie released her grip on Bella's hair to clutch at her cheek.

"You fucking whore!" Rosalie said through her teeth, her face totally and completely overtaken with rage as she smacked Bella right in the face. As I reached out to stop her, Rosalie clenched her fist and punched me straight in the jaw. I immediately brought my hand up to my jaw, rubbing slightly. Despite all her talk, Rosalie wasn't exactly a fighter. The blow to my jaw wouldn't have hurt at all, except for the fact that Rosalie was wearing several rings on her fingers.

And that was it. This engagement, if you could really call it that, was over. "Bella, go back inside." I said for the second time, and Rosalie looked between the two of us, breathing heavily and still looking absolutely livid. "Tell Carlisle and Esme and Alice that we're leaving, please." Then I grabbed Rosalie by the elbow and led her off, determined to put an end to this once and for all.

……

The door slammed behind us, and Rosalie and I stared at each other with uncertainty in our eyes. Neither of us wanted to speak first, but it had to be done…we both knew what was coming.

"What do you want to do?" Rosalie's voice was flat and devoid of any emotion. She just stared at me with empty, unfeeling eyes as she spoke. I rubbed the back of my neck, closing my eyes as I tried to sort out my thoughts. I had been at this stage in a relationship before, with Bella. But this was so much different. When Bella and I had found ourselves at an end, I had wanted nothing more than to work things out. Bella had been the one to convince me we ended to step back and let each other go. I had tried. I had tried to move on with Rosalie, but it had made my problem even bigger. I felt like I owed Rosalie something, even thought all I wanted to do was to make things work out with Bella.

Finally, I found the right words for what I needed to say to Rosalie. "I know it seems like I've been pushing you away. But really, I'm not pushing you away; I'm just so fucking confused, and I'm hurting, and I am honestly not over my last relationship. That's just the honest to god truth. I let things move way too fast between us, which was _not_ right in the slightest." I said, and Rosalie nodded slightly, crossing her arms over her chest and looking down at the floor.

"Are you going to, um…" She cleared her throat, looking back up at me. "Are you going to go back to Bella? I mean…now that things between us have changed?"

I sighed, putting my face in my hands. "Rosalie, in all reality, nothing has changed between us. None of the intimacy that we have has been lost. I just want to explore my feelings for someone else, that's all that has really changed. I did love you. Hell, I still do. But…not in the way that I should. And you simply can't make the heart feel something it won't, and mine just won't." I murmured, and Rosalie inhaled sharply at my words. "I was happy, though." I added, feeling guilty for what I had put Rosalie through in these last six months.

Rosalie shook her head, her glassy blue eyes full of unshed tears. "Edward, you didn't smile enough. Saying that you were happy and looking it are two completely different things." Then she closed her eyes, shaking her head. I saw a tear slide down her cheek, but she made no move to wipe it away and just let it fall. "You know, I just can't see myself with you when I am eighty." Rosalie said softly. "I tried. I tried to picture us together in the future…but I just can't. Especially in the past week…it's been totally impossible."

"So…do you want to…wait and figure it out…or just end things now?" Rosalie asked awkwardly, and I shrugged my shoulders.

"I'm sorry…but I know now that I am not over Bella. I can't be with you when I am still in love with another woman, that's not fair to anyone." I said softly. "This sounds terrible, but we should not have started dating so soon. Maybe…maybe if I had allowed myself time to get over Bella, you and I could have actually worked. That was entirely my fault, and I know it."

Taking a step forward, Rosalie slid the ring off her ringer and handed it back to me. "I know. I mean, I knew you weren't over your ex when we started seeing each other. I could have prevented this just as much as you could have."

I nodded wordlessly, looking down at the ring in my hand. I didn't want this anymore, 'family heirloom' be damned.

"I…I want to be friendly, okay? I know that sounds stupid, but I do." Rosalie said cautiously. "Not right now…I think that right now we just need to stay away from each other."

"That would probably be for the best." I agreed, dropping the ring on the coffee table without hesitation. "I…I think I might leave D.C. for a little while." I said, looking out the window instead of at Rosalie. "Maybe, I don't know."

Rosalie nodded, and then I hugged her gently, not sure of what to do. "I guess I should get my stuff together. It's a good thing we didn't have my stuffed all moved in, huh?" She joked lightly, but then her expression immediately became somber again. "I'm sorry I punched you." She whispered, and I cracked a smile, touching my jaw lightly.

"Didn't really hurt except for your damn rings." I said softly, smirking at her. "I'm sorry I treated you so badly over the past month."

"I'm going to apologize to Bella, by the way." Rosalie said. "I owe her that, definitely." She said, and I saw a blush on her cheeks. "But could you please…um, apologize to your parents and sister for me? I don't think I can face them after what happened tonight. Also, I'm sorry for acting like such a huge bitch." We both laughed softly at that, and then simply stared at each other for a long moment. Then I stepped forward, kissed Rosalie softly on the forehead, and told her to take her time getting everything out of the apartment. I had some business to take care of.

……**.**

**Well there you have it…Rosalie and Edward are done forever. I had to make their breakup calmer, though. I know they were both acting like bitches beforehand, but I didn't want a big, angry, messy breakup. I'm thinking that story is about halfway done…I'm trying to stick to that estimation. Bella and Edward aren't going to just fall into each other's arms, okay? Both of them need to gain and earn some trust back. It's a two way street, also. Edward has got some ass-kissing and apologizing to do, as does Bella, but Edward needs to make Bella see all the reasons they should be together again.**

**Please review, let me know what you thought of the chapter and of the breakup.**

**Xoxo- Melodyella aka Mellie**


	13. Chapter 13

**Okay…so I know Rosalie was a little bipolar in the last chapter. But after their fight, she realized that she and Edward were over and there was no point in trying to change his mind after that. **

**I'm glad you liked their breakup…I couldn't make it too angry. I didn't think our Edward would have been able to handle it with all that has been going on. Besides, when a relationship is truly over like the one between Rosalie and Edward obviously was…there's no point in even holding on anymore. That's just the truth, people! Anyway, I'm glad you went with it. And don't worry, Rosalie will find herself a man who will truly love her and make her happy =) **

**Aren't you glad I managed to update tonight instead of tomorrow? I sure am!**

**Oh, and Bella is twenty eight, Edward is thirty two, Rosalie is thirty, Alice is twenty eight, and Emmet is thirty. Somebody asked about their ages…there you have it!**

……

Isabella Marie Swan:

Carlisle, Esme, and Alice were not surprised when I told them that Rosalie and Edward had left. In fact, they didn't even seem to care about anything expect for the fact that Rosalie had been rude. Thank god they didn't know she had slapped me and punched Edward. "Oh, honey, I'm sorry about that-" Esme started, but I shook my head, cutting her off.

"It wasn't your fault, Esme, not in the slightest. I should have known something like that could have happened. And besides…I think Rosalie has been dying to say that to my face since for the past week." I admitted, and everyone laughed lightly, trying to shy away from the awkwardness. "Look, I don't mean to be rude…but I think I'm just going to head home, okay? Today has been kind of long and stressful…"

Esme shook her head quickly, leaning over to kiss me on the cheek. "No, no, you go on home. It's fine. Just lay down and relax and find some peace." She said, and I smiled graciously at her before saying goodbye to Alice and Carlisle and leaving the restaurant. Since Alice had driven me here, I made my way down to the Metro, fishing around in my purse for my MetroCard as I rode down the escalator. Just as I reached the bottom, I felt a hand on my shoulder and jerked around.

Emmet McCarty stood behind me, grinning broadly. I relaxed immediately when I saw that it was him. "Hey, Bella. Long time no see." Emmet joked, keeping up with me as I walked towards the other escalator that lead towards the platform.

"It's good to see you too, Emmet." I laughed, turning around to fully face him. My train wasn't due for another ten minutes or so. "When are you getting out of town?" I asked.

"Oh…whenever." Emmet said, shrugging. "I'm doing a little work here…but I don't really have any time restrictions. So, where were you, little lady?" He asked, looking at my fancy dress and high heels. "Got a hot date?" He guessed, and I just had to laugh at that. "Come on, Bella, that's not an impossible scenario. You're a beautiful girl." Emmet said kindly, and I couldn't help but blush.

"No, actually." I laughed ruefully. "I was just as dinner with my ex fiancé, his current fiancée, and his family." I said tightly, and Emmet made a horrified face. "It wasn't that bad…I'm still friends with his family…but his fiancée ended up slapping me in the face and punching Edward in the jaw." I admitted, and Emmet's mouth dropped open. "So I decided it was time to leave."

Emmet shook his head, looking bewildered. "Um, yeah." He laughed. "You cause a lot of problems, hmm, Swan?" he asked teasingly, and I rolled my eyes. "But hey, seriously, did you make a decision about your ex?" Emmet asked, his face becoming serious again almost immediately.

I sighed, shrugging my shoulders. "Well…after today, I think he and Rosalie are over." I confessed. "I mean, she punched him in the face and he looked pretty mad…they both did. But if they truly are over, the first thing I want to do is just _talk _to Edward. So many things about our relationship and our breakup still confuse me." I explained, and Emmet nodded his head in understanding. "It's just stupid and complicated right now. But thanks for your help and advice." I said. "You're a good friend, considering we just met last weekend and got a little frisky." I said, and Emmet and I laughed together just as my train approached. "Well, I'll probably see you around the office or something. Bye, Emmet." I said, giving him a quick hug and peck on the cheek. "Thanks again."

"No problem, Bella. I'll see you." Emmet gave a small wave as I stepped on the train and quickly found a seat, watching him as he walked to the other side of the platform to wait for his own train.

As the train pulled away from the station, I was deep in thought. I knew Edward and Rosalie were going to breakup. I had seen the look in his eyes. But I had to remind myself that just because he and Rosalie were through didn't mean he wanted me, not necessarily.

……

Rosalie Lillian Hale:

For some reason, I had thought that more of my things had been in Edward's townhouse. We had only been living together for a little while, and I hadn't gotten all my stuff to his place yet, but still…only four boxes. The townhouse still looked full. Nothing even looked out of place. After daring for only a little over six months, our things hadn't meshed together and nothing had really been _ours_. It had been _mine _or_ his. _

It had been three hours, and Edward still wasn't back, which I was thankful for. He had said I could sleep here tonight, but I really just wanted to go back to my old apartment and be by myself. I had done a lot of things tonight…and it was all terribly overwhelming. I knew that I needed to say I was sorry to Bella…even though she was really the last person in the world that I wanted to see, let alone apologize to. Although Edward hadn't said it straight out, I knew that he was going to try his hardest to get back together with her.

I had refused to see it before, but it was now painfully obvious that Edward was not over Bella, not in the slightest. I had known it, but had refused to accept it. So now, I was hurt and alone, and it was my fault just as much as it was Edward's. I shouldn't have started dating him…I shouldn't have agreed to marry him when I knew that he was still not over his ex fiancée. But I had, and there was nothing that I could do about it now.

……**.**

**Sorry for a shorter chapter…but I'm going to get off to bed now. As always, let me know if you have any questions for me! I will try and update again later in the week, but I'm not sure on exact days!**

**Xoxo- Melodyella aka Mellie**


	14. Chapter 14

**Early update! So here's the deal…I really hope we can get 400 reviews for this story. Only 44 to go…don't you think we'll be able to handle that? I hope so. I'll be updating again maybe Friday or over the weekend. And tomorrow I'm **_**really**_** hoping to get a chapter of 'Divine Mercy' out. I've got about half the chapter done, and I'm stuck on the rest. Hopefully I'll get over it and finish the chapter up soon. Hmm…what else? 'Eye of the Beholder' will be updated over the weekend, and 'Chemicals', too. Um…the epilogue of 'Alone' should be up sometime next week, and 'Love You Forever' will be updated next week as well, because it's been forever since I updated that one.**

**I've got some rec's for you guys to check out:**

**"Art School Confidential" by farkle, "With or Without You" by Rochelle Allison, "Sovereign Fate" by A Cullen Wannabe, and "Good Boy" by MsKathy. They are all fantastic stories!**

**P.S. All Edward/Bella fans will rejoice at some of the revelations in this chapter =) It's a bit short, which I apologize for, but I'm tired and still haven't eaten dinner even though it's after nine o'clock! And of course, being hugely pregnant, I'm always hungry!**

……

Isabella Marie Swan:

My plans for the rest of the night included my couch, my DVD collection, and a box of ice cream sandwiches. I left my fancy dress out on my bed and pulled on an old pair of sweats, grateful to be comfortable. After letting my hair down and washing my face, I made my way to the living room and just before I plopped down on the couch, there was a knock on my door. Grumbling to myself, I lugged myself over to the door and wrenched it open, nearly falling over in shock when I saw Edward standing there in front of me.

He was still wearing his suit from earlier, but his bronze hair was even more mussed than normal and his eyes looked beautiful as always, but they also looked…odd. Relieved, but also unsure. "Hi." He said in a low voice, and I continued to just stare at him.

"Um, hi, Edward." I finally said, shifting on my feet and leaning against the doorframe. "Uh…why…what's up?" I asked awkwardly, folding my arms across my chest and looking up into Edward's green eyes.

"I…" Edward closed his eyes for a moment, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Rosalie and I broke up. For good." He said, his voice heavy. "Just now, after we got back from that stupid dinner." Edward told me, and I just nodded, not knowing what else I could really do. I had seen this coming, it had been obvious to me. But I wondered what had been the final straw for them.

"May I ask, um, what was the straw that broke the camel's back?" I asked meekly, and Edward smiled ruefully, shaking his head back and forth with a soft laugh. "Edward, really, what happened?" I persisted. "Was it because of what happened tonight? Or was it just…something else?" I asked lamely.

Edward sighed, leaning against my doorframe. "Can I come in?" He asked softly, not answering me. Wordlessly, I stepped aside and let him walk into my living room. I shut the door behind him, and the turned around, leaning back against the wall and waiting for Edward to answer my question. He ran his fingers along the edge of the small wooden table in the hallway, looking down at his feet. Finally, after a few moments of complete silence, he spoke. "Our breakup…it wasn't just because of tonight. It was because Rosalie and I both finally accepted that I am still completely in love with you." Edward said, his voice low and rough. I stared at him, unable to form coherent thoughts, let alone words. "Because I do." Edward continued, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Dear god, Bella, I still love you. I was so wrong for ever letting you walk out of my life, and I want you back. I want everything that you want." Edward said, and I continued to stare at him, completely bewildered.

My thoughts and emotions were all over the place, scattered across my mind. I knew I loved Edward, but I honestly did not see how he and I would be able to work out our differences. So I told him that. "Edward, you and I still want completely different things." I whispered, my eyes welling up with tears. "I haven't changed, and I know that you haven't either."

"I can." Edward said, taking a desperate step closer to me. "I can change, Bella. Just…just give me a little time. I just want to be with you now. I wasted too much time being selfish and only looking out for myself, and I know that I can't get that time back."

He was practically pleading with me know, but I still didn't see how he would be able to accept the things that I wanted in my life. "Edward, I still want to have a baby. I still want that house in the suburbs with the picket fence and the lawn and the dog. I would love to have that with you, but I can't let you force yourself into doing all of that just because you want to be with me."

Edward shook his head, taking yet another step closer to me. He grabbed both of my hands in his, grasping them tightly and pulling me against me. "Do you still love me, Bella? Because if you do, I will do anything to be with you again. You want a baby? I can handle that. The suburbs, the dog, even the goddamn picket fence, I would love it because I love you, and I love being with you! And I know that now, Bella, I do. Please, just because I was too much of an ass to see it before-"

"I do love you." I interrupted him. "But I can't just…I can't just give into you like this, especially because of our history. I can't just drop everything and run into your arms anymore, Edward. I used to do that, but I'm not really that kind of person now." I took a deep breath, leaning my forehead against Edward's shoulder. "I do love you." I repeated. "But please, give me some time." I whispered. "I need time…I need to sort things out…can you do that? Can we be just…_us_ for a while before we decide to move onto something more?"

"_Us_?" Edward asked, and I nodded my head, still leaning against him. "Bella, we're always us, and we always have been. This right here, this _is_ us." He said, and I shook my head in frustration. "We can take things slow, Bella, if that's what you mean." Edward said, and I nodded, pulling away from him.

"Do you want to stay for a little while?" I asked, gesturing to the couch and the movies sitting out on the coffee table." Edward chuckled slightly despite the heavy emotions in the air, and hesitantly kissed the top of my head.

"Of course."

……

**Yay, right? Well, let me know what's on your mind, and please review! **

**Xoxo- Melodyella aka Mellie**


	15. Chapter 15

**Yep. Another update, which is pretty awesome, right? Anyway, we're like ten reviews away from getting four hundred. So…let's get on that, okay? Because that would most definitely make my day. I'm so glad you guys are understanding of what is going on between Edward and Bella. It's a hard process, and it may take them a little while to get there, but we all know that they are meant to be, no matter what. **

**It's pretty awesome that **_**you**_** guys are so awesome =) I love you and all of your reviews!**

**This chapter is a little short, but you'll take what you get, right? I mean…please? I would really appreciate it. Please review, and let me know what you're thinking. If you have any questions, just ask and I'll be sure to get back to you as soon as I can, either in a PM or in the next update!**

……

Edward Anthony Cullen:

"Do you want to stay for a little while?" Bella asked, waving her arm over to the living room, where the television was on and the lights were off. The emotions in the air were nearly stifling, but I knew that I wanted to stay here with Bella more than anything.

"Of course." I said, after kissing the top of her head. Bella, still holding my hands, led me over to the couch. We sat down, both a little unsure and awkward. Before our breakup last year, movie night would have led to a heavy make out session and then sex. But I had to remind myself that we were taking things slow. Even though I loved Bella, we had to pretend that this relationship was new, because we really did need a fresh start. "What did you want to watch?" I asked, picking up the pile of DVD's sitting on the coffee table. Bella hesitantly leaned against me, looking at the DVD's.

I could smell her sweet freesia body wash and strawberry shampoo, and I smiled at the familiarity of the whole thing. We were so lucky to be able to start this over again. _I_ was so lucky to have gotten her back. "Hmm… would you be opposed to watching "Nurse Jackie", season one?" Bella asked, picking up the DVD case. I nodded, and watched as she wordlessly got up off the couch and inserted the DVD. "Do you want some ice cream? I have some in the freezer?" Bella asked softly, and then when I said 'yes, please', she hurried off to the kitchen and returned with to ice cream sandwiches.

"I don't…I don't really know what to do." Bella said, looking down at the couch as she handed me the ice cream sandwich and the previews started playing for the DVD. "I mean…how are we supposed to do this? I want nothing more than to be close to you, but I know that we need to move slower…" She said, her voice revealing the frustration that we were both feeling. "Let's just…take it slow." Bella repeated, and then sat down next to me on the couch, leaning her head against my shoulder as she pressed the play button.

It was more difficult than I had originally expected. I had no idea how tempting it would be, sitting here with Bella watching a seemingly harmless television show. But it was. The lights were low, the characters in the television show kept having quickies in the pharmacy, and Bella was just sitting there, licking the ice cream and chocolate off of her slender fingers. It wasn't just difficult…it was actually a form of torture. But I controlled myself and my behavior. _Bella_ was the one acting out, honestly. I smiled when she laid down and placed her head in my lap, smiling up at me before refocusing on the television. I played with the ends of her long brown hair, watching her, completely mesmerized.

All too soon, we had watched all the episodes on the disc and it was time for me to head home, even though Rosalie was probably still at my place. "Bella?" I shook her shoulder softly, and she sat up, tucking her hair behind her ears as she did so. "Thank you so much." I said softly, rubbing her shoulder gently. "You and I…we can do this. I know that this time around, I could never bear to lose you. I was stupid last time and I won't lose you like that ever again." I swore, and Bella smiled, threading her fingers through my messy hair.

"I know. I feel the same way, Edward." Bella said softly.

"I have to get going." I said grudgingly. "But I need to tell you something. After what happened with you, and Rosalie, I think that maybe I should take a little bit of time off of work." Bella raised her eyebrows, but I continued what I was planning to say. "Look, I know that I now want to share my life with you. But before we settle down and actually, you know, get serious…I want to do something. I want to travel and get some things done before we make a big commitment." I explained.

Bella nodded hesitantly, her hands still in my hair. "I…wait, so now that we're back together, you're going to leave?!" She asked incredulously. '

I shook my head quickly, gently squeezing her shoulder. "Bella, yes, I want to leave. But I also want you to come with me." I explained. "Just…just take a month or two off of work and let's just get out of here." Bella stared at me, her gorgeous brown eyes wide and stunned.

"You want to go away together, _now_? I thought we were going to be taking this slow." Bella said, her voice higher than usual. "I think that's too fast.

"It doesn't have to be a big deal. But if you think it's too fast…we could just put it off. But I do want to go away with you." I said softly, softly kissing the top of Bella's head.

Bella hesitated again, her brow furrowing. "Just let me think about it, okay? I'll get back to you." I nodded, hugging her tightly. "I'll see you tomorrow, right? Maybe we could have lunch together? Or we could get together after work for dinner?" She asked hopefully. I laughed and agreed, and then Bella walked me over to her front door. "I guess…I'll just see you at the office." Bella murmured, and then looked up at me, her face etched with uncertainty. "Are you going to kiss me?" She asked, and I smiled down at her.

Cupping her heart shaped face in my hands, I very tenderly captured her lips in mine. I didn't want to take things too far, so I kissed her briefly before saying my goodbyes.

……

**Don't worry, things are supposed to be awkward between Edward and Bella that the moment. I promise that when they figure things out, they'll be cute and lovey dovey.**

**Xoxo- Melodyella aka Mellie**


	16. Chapter 16

**Happy belated mother's day, my little dumplings. If you haven't noticed, my updating schedule has been pretty goddamn amazing this weekend! I finished up my story 'Alone', and got chapters of 'Chemicals' and 'Eye of the Beholder' out. And hopefully I'll be able to finish up my story 'Love You Forever' sometime this week, and I'm going to try and finish up 'Chemicals' within the next month or so. I have one more story idea on my mind, but I'm keeping it to myself for now and just typing it up. It'll be posted sometime in late May, maybe before Baby Bee is born, or in June. We'll just have to see how everything else words out.**

**And hey, guess what? I can't fit my laptop on my lap anymore. I've kind of ballooned…it's pretty freaking weird. Enjoy the chapter, kay? **

……

Esme Anne Platt-Cullen:

I wasn't surprised when my son called and told me that he and Rosalie were no longer together. And I certainly wasn't surprised when he said that he and Bella were back together. Because it was obvious to everyone, except for maybe Edward and Bella, that they were always meant to end up together. Several idiotic decisions would never change that.

"What are you smiling about?" Carlisle asked, walking into the living room and dropping his briefcase on the floor as he leaned over the back of the couch to give me a soft kiss on the lips.

"Oh, Edward and Bella are back together." I said, trying and failing miserably to sound nonchalant. Carlisle raised his eyebrows at me, instantly interested, and sat down on the couch next to me. "He just called." I explained. "I guess that last night, after dinner, he and Rosalie broke up. And _then_ he went over to Bella's apartment and told her that he was still in love with her! I _knew_ they would end up getting back together. I told you so!" I said happily.

Carlisle chuckled, running one of his hands through his hair. "You are in rare form." He said, and then paused. "Do you think Edward and Bella can make their relationship work this time? I can see that they're still very much in love, it's plain as day, but do _they _realize that?"

I shrugged, sighing at my son's streak of stubbornness. "I don't know." I said honestly, scrunching my eyebrows together. "But Edward mentioned that he and Bella were going to try and start over fresh…and he doesn't want a big deal to be made over the whole situation, so they won't really be telling anyone else." The corners of my lips twisted up into a smile. "Let's see how long he can keep it from Alice…and let's see how long it takes her to explode after she discovers that Edward and Bella kept it from her." I giggled, and Carlisle laughed softly before kissing my forehead.

"You're one of a kind, Esme Cullen."

……

"Edward is ignoring my calls, mom." Alice pouted, sitting at our kitchen counter.

"Oh, poor baby." I said mockingly, using my wrist to wipe my hair out of my eyes. My hands were covered in flour and pie crust, and Alice was _supposed _to be helping me make pie for the family dinner we would be having tomorrow night. The dinner that Edward would not be attending, because he apparently had big plans with Bella.

Alice rolled her eyes, still messing with her cell phone. "What's up with him?" She asked curiously, and I just pursed my lips without responding. "Mom, what do you know?" Alice asked suspiciously, leaning in closely to narrowing her eyes. "Come on. I see it in your eyes, mom; you know something about what's going on with Edward. Is he okay? Did he and Rosalie break up? Did he finally pull his head out of his ass and realize he still loves Bella?"

I shook my head, rolling my eyes at my daughter. "I don't know, Alice. You're being ridiculous…just stay out of your brother's business, you hear me?" Alice sighed, and finally reached over and started helping me roll pie crust. "So, how are things going with Jasper?" I asked curiously, knowing that Alice would jump at the opportunity to talk about her boyfriend, Jasper Whitlock.

Sure enough, Alice's expression became dreamy and she smiled. "Jasper is amazing, mom. He's the greatest guy I've ever known." She gushed. "And he'll be at dinner tomorrow night, too. You'll love him, I swear…he's much better than any of the other guys that I've dated. And oh, he's a professor at Georgetown. Isn't that just awesome?" She asked, and continued with her rambling.

I smiled to myself, listening to my daughter yammer on and on about the boy she was dating. I had heard a little about him before, and met him briefly, but tomorrow was our more official meeting. But Alice made good choices, especially in men. She was the pickiest woman in the history of the world, that I was practically positive of.

My children had a lot of differences. Edward was more…subdued, and he always had been, even as a little boy. He was serious, but had a since of humor, and was dedicated to the things that he cared about, and worked diligently to do what he needed to. Alice, on the other hand, was all over the place with her emotions and personality. She was always hyper and charismatic, but she was also a bit moody and could be selfish. And Alice knew exactly what she wanted, and stuck with it. Edward seemed to be more…unsure, and that often caused him to end up hurting himself and others, just like the situation last year with Bella.

I had thought of Bella as a daughter for a long time. From the day Edward brought her to meet the family, I was instantly taken with her. I had been convinced that she and my son were the most perfect couple, and that nothing would ever break them up. Obviously, I had been wrong. But it seemed that my motherly instinct was eventually right.

……**.**

**So this chapter was a look into the mind of the wonderful Mama Esme Cullen. What did you think? I'm going to be busy these next couple of days…not sure when I'll update next. Hopefully before the weekend, but you'll just have to wait and see how the whole thing works out. I have some sketches I need to get done by Wednesday, and then I have to talk them down to my work. That trip right there will take me all of Wednesday. And on Thursday, I have one last ultrasound before Baby Bee is born, just to check on her size and health and whatnot. So hopefully I'll see you all for a new chapter on Friday afternoon, but no promises.**

**Have a great week, and please make sure to review! P.S. This is my eighth most reviewed story! Thank you oh so much for that, it means a lot.**

**Xoxo- Melodyella aka Mellie**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey there. So…this weekend I probably won't be fitting any updates (for any of my stories) in. On Saturday (this that tomorrow already? Dear lord I'm behind…) my little brother graduates from high school and of course, being his absolute favorite sister, I just **_**have **_**to be there. It'll be the last time I get to see him before I pop out a kid =( And then on Sunday I need to get my but down to the art gallery where I work and pick up the work that I had matted a couple of days ago, and that will take several hours right there. And lastly, on Monday I have a funeral for my husband's aunt, who passed away last night in her sleep at the age of 91=(**

**Anyway, that is the rundown of my insanely busy couple of days. Please review, and I will make sure to update whenever I get the chance.**

……

Isabella Marie Swan:

I watched from my doorway as Edward left, gripping my fingers on the doorknob. Once I finally snapped out of my Edward induced trance, I managed to get the door close and walk back into my apartment. Sitting down on the couch, I ran one of my hands through my long hair. I was so happy to be back with Edward, but I knew that I couldn't just let myself forgive and forget right away. It had hurt badly when he had moved on so suddenly, even though he had eventually come back to me. And I hated the fact that I could have prevented this entire year of Edward and I being apart. I could have prevented the entire year of suffering and separation and pain.

That was gone now, and the opportunity along with it.

Now all that was facing me was the future. In the slew of what had happened tonight, Edward had told me that he was willing to settle down and have children. At first, I had been positively thrilled. But now that Edward was gone and I was alone with my thoughts…I had to wonder if that's what Edward really wanted, or if he was just trying to prove that he wanted to be with me. I did want to, eventually, have children with him, and I hoped he felt the same way. That being said, I wanted him to _want_ that, and I didn't want him to give into having children just to win me over, which wouldn't be fair to either of us.

The whole situation was just…messy. For now, anyway. Hopefully Edward and I would have the opportunity to work things out once and for all, because I knew that I wanted to be with him. I was absolutely certain, there were no second thoughts even crossing my mind. I just didn't know how we were going to get over all of these obstacles that were set out in front of us.

Edward said that he wanted to go away for a trip, and that he wanted me to come with him. At first, the very idea of going away together so early into our new relationship seemed idiotic and ridiculous. Until I really thought about it, of course. All of our friends and his family knew about our past relationship and breakup. And to really work on things, we would need to have some alone time. Going away together, being alone, could actually _help___move forward together. We would be together without the pressure of other people…but we would also have the opportunity to have a little space if either of us needed it.

This was why Edward was the major decision maker and planner of our relationship; he foresaw things before they were even on the horizon of my mind.

……

"Really? Are you sure? Because I don't want you to feel pressured into it…"

"I'm sure, Edward." I promised, placing my hand on his chest and smiling up at him. "It'll be a great thing for us."

Edward nodded, a smile on his face. "I'm glad you think so."

"We can go all over." I murmured, playing with the button on his shirt. "We can see all kinds of things and do so many things…and we can do that together." I leaned my head against Edward's warm chest, and it struck me how much I had missed the little things with Edward, like holding hands or kissing or hugging or simply standing with my head against his chest. It was all a wonderful reminder of how much I wanted to make our relationship work. And the way he gently rested his hand on the small of my back and hold me close told me that he was feeling the exact same way.

"It'll be perfect." Edward promised, kissing the top of my head. "Where do you want to go first?"

I thought for a moment, pursing my lips. "West. Let's start to the West, and then work our way back home."

"Sounds good. We could start in Southern California…and we could work our way up to Washington, if you'd like to stop and see your parents." Edward suggested. I just nodded, not wanting to get into that right now. "And we could just work our way across the country from there. It'll work out great."

"I know. We'll be together." I said with a smile, squeezing Edward tightly around the waist. "I have to take off work." I added, and Edward nodded silently, running one of his hands through my long hair.

It was the day after our reconciliation, and we were sitting on the couch in my apartment. The lights were on and the television was off, so it was a silent and neutral environment. Edward was supposed to be having dinner with his family tonight, but he had called his mom to cancel, telling her that we had plans together, and reminding her not to mention anything to Alice.

Oh….Alice. I really did not know what to do when it came to my best friend. She had really helped me figure out what I wanted, but Edward and I would prefer to keep our relationship quiet for now. But she really was my best friend, and she would be insanely hurt if she knew Edward and I were keeping our relationship from her.

"We have to tell Alice." I whispered, and Edward stopping combing my hair with his fingers. "She's my best friend, Edward. And she's your sister."

"We'll tell Alice." Edward agreed, and that was it.

**......**

**Sorry that was a bit short. Like I said…busy, busy, busy. But please review and let me know what you thought, I was really trying to just give you a little look into how Bella is feeling about the whole situation. Like she said…it's pretty messy.**

**Xoxo- Melodyella aka Mellie**


	18. Author's Note

**Hi, everyone. So this isn't Mellie, it's her friend Keely. At 12:54 am central time, Mellie gave birth to a **_**beautiful**_** little girl after going into labor yesterday after (about ten days early). Mother and daughter are both doing great, and Mellie just wanted to let everyone know that everything is good and that she hopes to update again soon. Also, thank you for all the kind wishes throughout her entire pregnancy, I know that it meant a lot to her and Jensen. Like I said, the baby is a girl and weighed in at six pounds three ounces and is named Blakely Olivia Anderson. **

**Again, thanks for all the kind words and support. **

**Mellie says that she wants to try and update this weekend, but obviously she might not be able to. I'll probably type it up for her, and she says the next one she wants to update is either 'Commander in Chief' or 'Eye of the Beholder'. **

**Xoxo- Mellie, Jensen, Blakely and Keely.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hi! I've been trying to work on my story "Such Difference"…and I ended up neglecting this one a little, so sorry about that. I wanted to thank all of you for your kind wishes and congratulations. I really appreciated it, even though I couldn't reply to all of them. But I did read them, and it means a lot. So far, it seems like this kid is a reasonable sleeper. Obviously she's not very old and doesn't have a real routine going yet…but I can tell that she likes her sleep. Right now she's sleeping and I'm insanely hyper for some reason, so I'm going to try and update.**

**And thanks for sticking with me through little delays, I appreciate that as well. If you need some stories to read…"Late Night Encounters" by kyla13 and "A Little Crazy" by lolashoes.**

**We get a little RPOV in this chapter, and she'll be meeting Emmett finally. And we know that Rosalie and Emmett belong together! Sadly, this chapter might be a bit on the short side. It depends on when Blakely wakes up from her beauty sleep!**

**Also, if you've got the time, go check out my three-shot "Toujours", which is completed. But be warned- I've been told it makes people cry.**

…

Rosalie Lillian Hale:

The next day at work was easier than I had expected. Edward wasn't there. Bella wasn't there. People knew what had happened already, but that was the way I had planned it. I didn't want secrecy around my breakup. Honestly, I should have never gotten involved with Edward in the first place. I knew that he had recently gotten out of a serious relationship when we first started dating, but I hadn't really cared. He was handsome and sweet and funny and rich, and he had made me happy.

That is, until I realized he was still very much in love with his ex- fiancée. So that was over, and I had to move on with my life.

I'm not going to lie; being broken up with had hurt. But on some level, I understood where Edward was coming from. I, too, had rushed into the relationship and hadn't looked before I leaped. It had all happened so fast, and I had loved every minute of it until it came crashing down just as quickly.

"Miss Hale?" I looked up from the papers I was examining and came face to face with one of the most handsome men I had ever seen, standing right in the doorway of my office. Don't get me wrong- Edward had been extremely good looking. But this man…he was making me blush. I chastised myself, knowing that I had just gotten out of a relationship, and engagement nonetheless, and I really shouldn't be ogling men I don't even know. "Miss?"

I blushed when I realized that I hadn't spoken yet. "I'm sorry! Yes, I'm Rosalie Hale. Can I help you?" What the hell was I doing, blushing because of this guy? I don't blush, at least not often.

"Yeah, hi." The man stepped into my office completely and pushing the door half-shut behind him. "I'm Emmett McCarty, my father is one of the partners here. I'm kind of his…errand boy right now. He sent me down to give you this since Bella isn't here."

"Thanks." I said, my ears perking up at the sound of Bella's name. "Do you know Bella?" I asked slyly, taking the piece of paper from Emmett.

"Uh, kind of." Emmet said, his eyes bright. "Do you? Oh, I mean obviously you know her she works with you-"

"She's also dating my ex- fiancée." I said, and Emmet's mouth dropped open.

"Oh…you're Edward's other ex…damn, I didn't put two and two together…sorry about that." Emmet said, a light blush appearing on his cheeks.

"It's fine." I laughed softly, putting the paper down on my desk. "Thanks for the flyer." I said, nodding to it. "But I have to get back to work."

Emmet nodded, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, okay…it was nice meeting you. Have a nice day."

"You too!" I called, just before Emmett left my office and closed the door behind him.

I smiled slightly, relishing the fact that I could still feel some chemistry for someone. Until recently, I had thought Edward was my soulmate and that we would spend forever in each other's arms. But when he broke up with me…there was a small sense of relief. Because I could have ended up married to Edward. He was a wonderful person, but I couldn't picture it. I had tried…but it all seemed wrong and unnatural. Edward wasn't right for me, although I had viciously and defensively clung on to him, trying to make it work. Because on paper, we would have been the perfect couple.

We were both attractive and successful and from good families. And at first, I thought that was all that mattered. But as our short relationship progressed, I realized that apart from the basics, there wasn't much we had in common. There wasn't much for us to bond over, or to enjoy together.

The way he looked at Bella made me jealous, and not only because he was supposed to be mine. It was because I wished _I_ could look at Edward with so much love, and I wished he could have looked at me like that. But he never would, because the two of us had simply not been right for each other.

I blushed yet again, thinking back to the man that had just left my office, with his wide smile and dimples. Now _there_ was someone I could envision being with, and I had only just met him.

…

**And yeah, Rosalie is going to be pissed when she finds out about the little rendezvous that Emmet and Bella had together. It's all part of the story, I promise. Sorry about the length but I've got a screaming baby over here, so I should probably take care of that right now.**

**Xoxo- Melodyella aka Mellie**


	20. Ugh, Another Author's Note

**Hey, guys. So I'm really, really sorry to say that this story is going to be on hiatus for just a little while. It will be back, but I'm not sure when. I'm not going to be taking any of the chapters down, but please be aware that there won't be any updates for the time being. And hopefully when I finally am able to get this story line going again, I'll be able to handle more frequent updates and longer chapters. I would love to continue as normal, but I'm going to be updating a lot less now because of some troubles with my daughter. She'll be alright, but things are going to be a little difficult and stressful.**

**Thanks for your support and understanding, and I promise this story will be up again as soon as possible.**

**Xoxo- Melodyella aka Mellie **


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